Recycle
by Restartinghere
Summary: AU: Ken Shimura made a debt with a different type of Amanto who will do what needs to be done to get its money back. Thus Shinpachi is sold to Yoshiwara in order for the dojo debts to be paid.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I obviously own nothing

AU: Ken Shimura made a debt with a different type of Amanto who will do what needs to be done to get its money back. Thus Shinpachi is sold to Yoshiwara in order for the dojo debts to be paid.

A/N: I decided to repost the story to get into a fresh start. There are a few edited changes, but it's still the same story I started out with.

._._._.

Chapter 1

Shinpachi at the tender age of eight looked up to see Hinowa whose eyes remained determined and lively despite the injustice that surrounded her.

"Oi!" One of the lead courtesans called out to him. He looked away to follow her to one of the many hotels that filled the city of pleasure. From there he was in charge of cleaning the aftermath of what happened. After cleaning the many rooms, he was to make deliveries to many courtesans who needed their hair care and such to remain ready for their customers. He was then allowed a short lunch before heading to the bathhouse where he cleaned the place with the other few workers. After that, he was to pick up litter and sweep the roads. He was then allowed to go back to his station where he had dinner with the other workers before bathing and then sleeping.

Everyday was filled with work that tired many, but Shinpachi endured without complaint. He didn't mind such dirty work since it kept his miseries at bay. He did not want to think about how his father had allowed debts to grow for the sake of a dojo that had no place in a non-samurai world. Ken Shimura made the mistake of taking a loan from an amanto who wasn't going to allow him to delay his payments any further. The only way his father could be cured of all debts was if he sold his children. Ken pleaded for them not to, and the amanto did reconsider with a far more heinous suggestion to sadistically force the father to choose one of them to be sold.

And thus, Shinpachi was chosen. The amanto had sold him here, and after a week of Shinpachi showing his worth to such a place, he was sold at a high enough price to pay off the debt. Shinpachi only hoped that his sister was well, and that his father was not incapable of protecting her from being sold off somewhere else so that the amanto could profit off of her, too. Those sort of thoughts kept him up at night, which left him working harder in order to pass out the moment he lied on the floor.

Three months later passed, and after showing his dedication to his work, he was promoted to work within the kitchens to learn how to cook. Shinpachi already had experience from learning from his mother before she ran away over a year ago. His mother was smart to know that staying with his father would only end in tragedy, and that she was not capable of surviving with her children. Shinpachi wished he had the wisdom to run away, but instead had taken over cooking and taking care of the chores for his remaining family while they were more concerned about the run of the dojo.

Shinpachi would resentfully remembered how his father complained about his home skills when Otae as the female should've been taught them. Shinpachi in turn would snap that if his father had paid proper attention to his family, this switch of roles wouldn't have happened. Otae would punch him for his rudeness, and his father would just let go of the argument since he was tired and stressed. The boy would then sigh at such tiresome memories. Only a few ever were happy and many vividly involved Hajime-nii, but he's…

Shinpachi would shake away the emotions when his memories grew dark, and would instead focus on making a delicious meal. His different mentors in the kitchen watched over him with strict eyes that did make him a bit nervous, but he took deep breaths to remain focus. When the mentors would criticize him, he simply nodded his head, and corrected his actions. This wasn't a place for tears. He already cried silently enough on his pillow. Instead, he soon found himself having fun taking up the challenges he faced to please his different mentors, and felt deep satisfaction by their praises and rewards.

After proving to be adept in the kitchen after two months, he was given a rotary schedule from cleaning to cooking and then taking lessons to be groomed into a male prostitute. Very few males were ever sold to Yoshiwara to become part of the prostitution chain, but there were buyers who dabbled into the curiosity. Since those types of buys came rarely, the male prostitutes were mostly put into manual work.

Shinpachi had his lead courtesan switched into one of the veteran male courtesans, and was to live with him in the one-of-a-kind male-only brothel in Yoshiwara. Shinpachi had never seen the brothel due to the fact that it was built close to the wall where no customers would bother to waltz around. Even if someone were to come to the building, there was no entrance whatsoever since it didn't have any windows or doors. The only way through was a secret passage in Yoshiwara's underground maze.

Upon arriving from the dark damp tunnel by following his former lead courtesan, he was surprised to find himself entering what looked like a foyer meant for a foreign palace. It was a red hexagonal room decorated in gold and art pieces that bought out a sensual mood of a man's body. Even the rails of the stairs seemed to be made of gold.

"Hello, Shinpachi." The boy was greeted by an oddly yet incredibly beautiful man from above the stairs. "My name is Nobuyuki. From this day forward, I will be your instructor." The man's smooth tenor voice complemented his beauty of long silky black hair tied up in a half updo bun, round expressive obsidian eyes, wide and thin yet luscious pink lips on pale white skin, and thin yet sensual body.

The lead courtesan huffed, "Here's another useless welp for you to take care of Nobuyuki. I swear it's a damn crime that while us female courtesans degrade ourselves on those streets, you disgraceful lot gets to relax here in luxury."

The man gracefully descended down the stairs with a smile that Shinpachi felt was off. "Now, now, we have also been doing our share by not only courting our rare customers, but doing your laundry, cleaning the blood off the hyakka weapons, and disposing of your used up worthless bodies."

The courtesan slapped Nobuyuki, but the male courtesan still smiled, and kindly asked her to leave. She left without another word, and Nobuyuki tsked at her before turning his attention on Shinpachi. "Please follow me." The two walked into one of the many western doors of the building, and Shinpachi was surprised to find a normal Japanese tea room. Another male courtesan entered through a sliding door with tea ready to be served for them.

The two sat down and began once the other courtesan had left them with their drinks.

Shinpachi started, "It's nice to meet you, Nobuyuki-san." He gave him a smile, "I look forward to learning under you." The boy didn't flinch from having his chin grabbed and his face inspected. As it was turned side to side, Shinpachi could see in the man's eyes that they were dead just like everyone else.

Even as the man smiled, his eyes were merely filled with resignation and pity. "In this brothel, you will be following a strict diet, exercise and hygiene to grow up presentable to your future clients. Though few of them do prefer the courtesans who look feminine like me, a majority of them prefer muscular men that are not too intimidating. From what I can see, you will definitely grow into a pretty boy, though you won't necessarily stand out among your peers. We'll have to see what talents you can do besides house chores in order to entertain your guests."

"Is it different from how the women entertain them?" The boy inquired as his face was let go.

"Not at all since despite how the foyer looks, Lord Housen still wants to keep the Japanese aesthetic prominent to even here. Although while the ways of the women are seen natural and feminine, we will be seen as odd and boyish."

"I can see that. I can't imagine seeing a man dance the way the women do to be appealing."

That blunt innocent statement made the man laugh. "True unless we give off the illusion that we are women. There is so much to teach you before you are ready to take on the task at thirteen."

Shinpachi saw that age as faraway as the next country, yet could feel himself leaping through the sky without control to such an age. He knew what was to come, not in great detail, but he knew he was going to step a line not many men cross.

"Are you frightened?" Nobuyuki inquired.

"Uhm..." The first time when Shinpachi was told of what was to become of him, he was frightened and confused, but after having lived in Yoshiwara for almost half a year, that fear had nearly been replaced by his own sense of resignation like the others. "Not really. I only have to do it rarely, and it'll hurt and be scary, but its only for a night. And then I can just go back to cleaning."

"Do you really like cleaning?"

"It's relaxing. I can't help but worry about what other stupid things my father must be doing that might hurt my sister. Then again my sister stupidly follows his words, not thinking about how it can hurt the people around you. Choosing to sacrifice everything, even the people you're supposed to protect for the sake of your stupid pride."

The courtesan smirked slightly by that comment, taking a sip of his tea to lower his lips. "Hostility towards parents are nothing new here in Yoshiwara. My parents sold me in order to settle their own debts. We're all flowers here in Yoshiwara who are groomed until we are used up and left to be eaten by the earth." Shinpachi hated to be reminded that if he did not do his job well after the age of thirteen, his only punishment was death. He blocked out that thought to remain present in this tense meeting. Nobuyuki seemed to be aware, and pushed for the tensity to continue. "Usually I would tell the boys I meet that the sooner they accept their fate, the sooner they can adapt to this new lifestyle underground otherwise they were to face Lord Housen's wrath, but it looks like you're a smart one."

Shinpachi didn't take that as a compliment, yet it gave him an opportunity to speak his thoughts, "There's a saying that sons take after their father's negative attributes, but that saying is completely false. I don't plan to ever be a fool who'll fight a useless fight, but that doesn't mean I won't fight. This place can go ahead and try to tear me apart, but I won't falter." Shinpachi pictured Hinowa in his mind. The strength and kindness that she embodied was the type of person Shinpachi wanted to be. He looked forward with a fire in his eyes as his rage for his father, his pride for his humanity, and his inspiration from Hinowa filled him with a sense of survival.

Nobuyuki was surprised to see such light from the little boy's eyes, and thought it was a pity such innocent strength would be crushed. However, he did make one interesting notice. The veteran courtesan kept it to himself, and then began to inform the boy of what was to be expected.

After the first meeting, Shinpachi worked diligently alongside Nobuyuki, who oddly seemed kinder than their initial meeting, to become the beautiful courtesan that they wanted him to mature into. The first lessons were dancing, music, and speech. He was to speak with eloquence and diction, so his customers would be enchanted. If his customers wanted him to dance like a woman, he was to dance with the grace and sensuality of one. As for singing, Shinpachi was to be put under strenuous lessons to singing sweetly with an air of false innocence, especially after his tone-deaf disability was a monstrosity that irked the ears of his mentor.

When he would mess up, he would apologize fervently. If he succeeded, he would take the compliments with humility. And when the lessons intensified, he took the pain head on.

**THWACK!**

Shinpachi felt the harsh blow of the bamboo stick by Nobuyuki. It was a familiar feeling that his body learned to numbed the pain signals to his brain a bit. Another hit clashed somewhere new but even if the pain blasted inside his brain like cannon balls hitting a defenseless ship, he boarded up the water and the screams that dared to try to leave his body. He knew that these beatings could be harsher, but Nobuyuki couldn't leave a scar on him. And Shinpachi knew he shouldn't feel weak with every blow. If anything, his body was fortifying, becoming stronger, and he found comfort in that.

These blows to his body was another part of the veteran's lessons. Shinpachi was to mentally prepare for the harsh cruelty of customers that may hurt him at any moment. Of course, Shinpachi was to be saved since even if Yoshiwara was a place of dirty business, Housen did not condone the sexual satisfaction of beating the courtesans. Plus any man who dared to buy or assault Shinpachi at his current age was executed since those below the age of thirteen were safe from such predators. Shinpachi felt a relief in those rules, and in a way thought a bit better of Housen who may have created a cage, but kept that cage well maintained at least.

_SNAP!_

The stick snapped and its sharp edges cut him. The beatings stopped and Shinpachi was given aid and compliments for his endurance. Shinpachi didn't say anything, knowing but ignoring fully well that Nobuyuki seemed to enjoy hurting him. He knew he shouldn't be surprised that there was a darker side to his mentor, but the look in Nobuyuki's eyes were definitely that of a beast. Shinpachi didn't want to feel trapped under the tutelage of a monster he couldn't understand, so instead looked up at Hinowa who must've endured even more after what he heard had happened months prior to him being sold in Yoshiwara.

Such thoughts made him think about what date it should be in the upper world, and what season should be taking place. If he were to lose track of that, he would take advantage of his time spent out of the brothel to simply listen to the mouths that spoke of the holidays that were still celebrated. Shinpachi's heart had faltered a little when Christmas was finally spoken on men's lips as they walked away with their 'gifts'. He came to the realization that losing count of the days had left him clueless that he was nine-years-old now, but such a thing was pointless. He was to be labeled nine on the New Years.

Shinpachi simply took a deep breath and moved on just as Hinowa did in her situation. She was still brilliant, so so would he. He walked with a straight back and eyes forward, burning with determination, yet the fire simmered down into kindness when a courtesan accidentally fell down.

Nobuyuki watched him from a balcony with his obsidian eyes piercing him. Shinpachi felt that pierce and looked for the source of it, but Nobuyuki removed himself to return to his secret guest who blew his smoke in circles before speaking with a raspy voice, "You look at that boy like a black sun, Kumori. You haven't even given him a new name for his new life yet."

"There's no need to name a wilting child."

"Wilting? If anything, that boy is flourishing. Unless you mean..." The man grinned beneath his conical hat.

The courtesan glared at him hotly with a thin lined frown. "With the likes of Jiraia running the Hyakka here, and Housen remaining cozy in his palace, it seemed impossible to kill the bastard. But that child who holds the resemblance of Hinowa in not beauty but in spirit is the key to getting close to him and succeeding our mission."

"You mean he's a sun?"

Kumori glared even hotter, yet knowing it was not a place to argue, he looked to the side to another man who looked just like him, except he was far more calm, "No. Unlike Hinowa who shines above everyone, that boy only gives a glimmer of that light. He does have the strength and kindness, but it's partly trained and still weak compared to Hinowa's natural nature. No. That boy is a cloud that hides the sun and forms a storm that lays waste to the unnecessary. Housen without a doubt will be interested in that rare glimmer, and that stupid boy will lead him to his demise."

The man chuckled, throwing a small sack on the table that slightly opened to reveal a gray dust. "Just like ya wanted, Kiri. A yato's weakness other than the sun: dusts from the planet that has multiple suns. When a yato fights on a planet like that, they have to wear their own gas mask since ingesting such a thing can poison them. These are soaked to the core like a plant with too much chlorophyll so sucks the sun dry. Our lab rats were able to find a way to add it into the food to not make it noticeable."

"Good. Kemuri." Kiri slid the bag over to a third man who looked just as the other two did, except he frowned at the bag unlike Kumori who glared and Kiri who watched patiently. Kemuri reluctantly swallowed the bag, having his obsidian eyes turning gold, and the bottom corner of his throat revealing a black sun tattoo.

Kiri then solemnly declared, "Our clan will receive vengeance after Housen had obliterated our own division to create his own to become part of the harusame. A few of us were fortunate to escape, and follow him here, gaining followers for our cause. So many of them had failed to execute the man, but this boy, with his eyes blinded, will kill this man."

._._._.

Shinpachi felt nervous entering the palace with one of the guards. Having completed a year of working in Yoshiwara, he was expected to move into the palace to become somewhat familiar with Lord Housen through his harem and by biannual testings.

Shinpachi had been told that the most beautiful and talented of the female children were selected to become part of his harem at the appropriate age of twenty after having served other men before him. And if the female were to show skill or passion for battle, she was to become a personal guard in the Hyakka which doubled as his harem. Since he wasn't female, he had no reason to worry over being selected in his harem, but he still had to try his best to impress the King.

The boy tried to calm his heart. He dearly hoped that him becoming part of the harem wouldn't happen. He was sure Housen knew he was male, but that fact also made him nervous since Housen might test his masculinity to see if he had been broken, and whether Shinpachi disproved this notion or not, he was to be mocked either way.

He told himself that it was for the best to get used to something cruel like that to happen to him. This whole year had been rough on him due to harsh working environment where he was not only abused by his mentors, but also given the pitying and judging gossip of the courtesans who envied his leniency from prostitute work, and that came with the mockery of the female children since they saw him as a freak for sleeping with men. He felt his soul become weary and faltering, but he remained vigilante.

He held his breath when he was lead to a line of other children who had been sold around the same time as Shinpachi and completed their one year. Shinpachi had seen almost a hundred children sold around the same time as him, but then a little over half had remained. Those who did not may have died by the lack of natural sunlight, or were sold away due to being deemed unfit.

The children then entered the room to be lined up before Housen and his harem who surrounded the place as either warriors or courtesans. Nobuyuki was also present and stood right beside Housen. Shinpachi looked at his mentor, seeing that force smile that he remembered from their first initial meeting.

Shinpachi then redirected his gaze to the old yet fearsome man with bushy brows and receding grey hairline. Housen's eyes stared back at the children just as many of the mentors had looked at them. As Nobuyuki had told him, they were merely flowers in this world. So in that case, Shinpachi stood ideally as one that grew sublimely in the dark.

Housen noticed Shinpachi's presence, and remembered that a boy was among them. A boy who had been said to not look anything special but had surprisingly accepted his role as a male prostitute for men with ease. He had been working exceptionally hard with refinement and politeness in both his manual labor and lessons. However, the most interesting part of him was his eyes. He remembered Nobuyuki telling him that he had the eyes of a quiet storm.

The old Lord smirked at the sight of him. He wanted to see that quiet storm. He made no greeting or announcements. Merely ordered for his prostitutes to get ready so the children may display the quality of their training. Each child was to step forward and greet Housen with utmost politeness with a bow and a smile. They would then either dance or sing or display any form of entertainment. If they proved to be decent, Housen would nod meaning that they've been accepted to the palace. If not, they were to be returned back to the city for further training for another year. If they were to fail a second time, then they were to be resold to the black market.

Many of the girls had shown to be able to get the technical down, but still appeared confused or dispirited by the event.

Shinpachi went last, and before bowing down, he gave Housen a kind smile. The yato was taken aback for a second when he thought he saw Hinowa's spirit. The boy bowed down, greeting him with a sweet voice that he had practiced until it sounded natural.. Nobuyuki motioned his hand for the music to begin. Shinpachi danced with effort glimmering in his eyes and his movements proving to be deft and agile. At the end of his performance, he received an applause. He bowed with a thank you to everyone, but he looked to Housen with a modest smile that spoke with deep appreciation for the Master.

All the women became surprised to see such a strange child. Housen was speechless, yet he soon came to his senses when he took a good look at the boy. Unlike Hinowa who held the nature of beauty, kindness, and strength like the sun at this boy's age, this boy only held a quarter of that. Better yet, this boy was not a sun. If anything he was simply crepuscular rays, clouds who only allowed a glimmer of the sun behind them.

Housen felt his interest rise despite this disappointment since such a child hadn't been before him in the past. He gave a nod, and Shinpachi gave a bow before being escorted to where the other accepted girls were. They were taken to their room, although Shinpachi was given a different smaller room since he was male after all. Housen then had everyone leave except for Nobuyuki.

"Nobuyuki, have you given the boy a name yet?"

The veteran replied with light pride contrasted with his dark eyes, "Not yet. I still haven't thought of a name that would fit that strange child. I told you that his eyes were like a quiet storm, yet at times a light would peek through them. If he were to be female, he would've made a perfect Yamato Nadeshiko so a flowery name would've been perfect."

"A flower, eh? And yet unlike the other flowers who strain for sunlight, he seems to still retain some from the outside. Have you been going easy on him?"

"Not at all. He is berated and disciplined like all the other children. I may even say worse since he is male so his life depended more on his manual skills instead of his buyers. I along with the other male courtesans here remember growing up being resented and humiliated for being bought here. The boy is even aware of the violent type of customers he will have in the future. I had him whipped and beaten without scarring to get a taste of it almost every night, and he seemed to break a little but then shrugged it off after a good cry alone." Nobuyuki tried to hide the satisfaction in his voice.

Housen smirked at how tough the boy seemed to really be after all. "I have watched many parents sell their own daughters before their own sons unless they were desperate like your parents were, Nobuyuki. Yet this boy was chosen to be sold over his own sister. I thought he was worthless, but to come to me, the man who bought him, with no resistance nor rage within him, he is definitely a strange boy..."

._._._.

Shinpachi looked out of the balcony, knowing where Hinowa was sitting once again to show her brilliance. He sat down as she would, and stared out to the city with a deep intake of breath.

"Slacking off the job I see."

The boy jumped, nearly wetting himself at the sound of Lord Housen's voice. He turned around to see the man himself standing at the entrance. He quickly bowed, "I'M SORRY! I WAS DONE WITH CHORES, SO THE COURTESANS TOLD ME TO DO AS I LIKE WITHIN THE AREA! I DIDN'T MEAN TO SLACK OFF! I'M SORRY!"

House couldn't help the quirk of his lips at the youthful energy, "Quite a hearty voice you have there. I heard that you took quite the beating nightly and yet you woke up the next day, working with a limp or a broken arm."

Shinpachi rose his head, hearing that quiet question. "It's expected of me to face such beatings if I were to meet those type of costumers. I did feel hatred and rage because it hurt so much, but after a good cry, I just moved on. If I lose to myself, then it's over for me."

"Over for you?" Housen approached the boy closer.

Shinpachi nodded with all seriousness of a nine-year-old child. "Please excuse my boldness, but this place that is a hell for women but a pleasure to men has become a battleground for me as a forsaken son. I fight out of spite for the father who had allowed his pride to overlook the suffering of his family. The man who allowed his weaknesses to let those who wanted to harm us do as they wished! To have such a man look over my sister, I am filled with dread everyday! But looking at her," Shinpachi got up and turned to the balcony to grab hold of the rails. "Lady Hinowa's brilliance helps me remain strong! I know I am weak. I know I cannot escape from this cage, but I will not allow it to determine what I see through its bars or keep me as I am! I will fight myself so I won't lose to anyone! My father most of all! And if by any chance my sister can hear about me by some sort of miracle, she will know I am standing on my two feet."

Housen was intrigued by such hostile yet benevolent motivations by such a child. It made him think of Kamui who sought strength externally, yet this child sought strength internally. The man also realized that this child was no Hinowa nor will he ever be. Clouds were to forever remain before the sun, only allowing a glimmer to shine through before a storm was to erupt.

"Hakumeikousen." The word slipped out of the man's mouth. Shinpachi turned to him in confusion. Housen took another look at the child, and thought it sounded right and with not much new happening to entertain him, he declared, "Since it looks like Nobuyuki can't make a name for you, I will give you two. To the public, your name with be Haku Mei."

Shinpachi sweat dropped a bit by that. Though it could be translated into twilight, it could also mean evil fate by a slight intonation difference.

"But behind closed doors with me to pour my sake, I will refer to you as Kousen. No longer will you be called by your former name, so it's best to forget your father, your sister and your old life. No one will come looking for you here where male children are rarely ever kept." The man turned to leave, yet the boy spoke, "It doesn't hurt to keep hope. It doesn't hurt to play a fool when your heart is in the right place, and for all those miracles I hope for, I want to be ready."

Housen stopped and then in a flash, blood splattered on Shinpachi. The boy went blank for a second before he felt his heart race and his breathing heavy. He looked down to the source of the blood to see a dead courtesan on the ground. He screamed. When his shock began to wane, he looked up at the man who glared darkly at him.

"Having such hopes is useless in my domain. Your old life died when you were sold here, and thus you were reborn into my tool. Everything you once were will be forgotten, or perhaps I should have my people destroy it all to make sure of that."

"You didn't have to kill her to make that point!" Shinpachi couldn't help crying out. "Beat the hope out of me if you wish, but don't involve others in this!" Shinpachi looked down at the sliced woman. He had already seen both men and women skewered, sliced and assaulted before him on the streets. It didn't bother him to kneel down to help straighten the woman and close her eyes in peace. As he did, he noticed something but kept his mouth shut about it. He then looked up at Housen in defiance, "You think that doing something like this or making such threats will throw away my hope? I've been living here for a year haven't I. Death is practically the only freedom here so all you did for this poor woman was an act of kindness."

"Then should I extend you and your family the same courtesy?"

Shinpachi's eyes softened to fear and resignation. He faced Housen properly on his knees to give a low bow. "I am sorry. I spoke out of turn. I promise to never speak of foolish hopes or miracles before you again. Please spare my family's life."

"And yours?"

"I belong to you. I don't have a say in that."

"...Then stand."

Shinpachi got on his feet.

And then jumped over the rails of the balcony and onto the rooftop. He ran towards the string of the lanterns, but Housen landed before him. Shinpachi slipped between the man's legs only for his ankle to be taken. He was held up to the king, but he continued to struggle. He kept wiggling his leg as he punched the man's face. He was immediately thrown through the roof and into a storage of futons. The boy was still conscious yet felt a burning aching sensation prominently on his back that spread throughout his body. His head was spared from the impact, yet he was still left in shock.

Housen's voice broke through his panic. "It looks like fate favors your life tonight." Shinpachi concentrated his sight on the amanto smiling menacingly above him "It looks like Nobuyuki didn't teach you thoroughly enough to fear me."

Shinpachi feared for his teacher, so he quickly as he could with his strained lungs told the man with all honesty, "It isn't his fault or anyone's fault. I was thoroughly taught to fear you above everything. And I didn't lie. The fate of my life belongs to you. You can choose whether I live or die, when to test my spirit till it breaks, or break my body so I may become dependent. But when you do choose, I will struggle." Shinpachi sadly smiled teasingly, "Because where's the fun in just staying still."

Housen stared at this strange child again. Despite the cruelty he had shown, the boy was not shaken. He had adapted well to Yoshiwara, accepting its cruelty, its deaths and Housen himself with his humanity still intact.

"And I will forget my old life." Shinpachi surprisingly said. "I knew I should, but it's difficult to remove this apprehension I feel, so I use hope like a fool in order to cover it up. I apologize for acting out of bounds with you. It was unprofessional and I promise to do better."

The Lord felt unsatisfied by such submissive attitude from the child, yet he did note that it didn't sound like he was completely surrendering himself. Merely placating the situation in his favor. He admitted to the boy, "You are strange. You hold hostile feelings towards your father yet apprehension and love for your sister who is like your father. You hold resignation yet determination towards Yoshiwara, and kindness yet attitude towards me."

Shinpachi bluntly answered like the child he was, "It's like I said. If I lose to this, I lose to myself, and then it's over for me because what can a person who lost their way be able to protect? Before coming here, an older brother I loved the most in the world died. My mother who I respected and learned from abandoned me. My father who I can still find it in me to love threw me away like trash." He took a deep breath, "The death of my older brother I loved was an accident, but I felt for the first time a weakness I despised, and I saw it in my parents who were supposed to protect their children. As for my sister, she may be becoming our father, but she isn't our father. She is my sister who I can stand equal to if I become stronger. Strong enough to protect her and everyone else I may come to cherish."

Housen chuckled, "So a little brother who despite getting the shorter end of the stick still loves those who abandoned him, threw him away. A prostitute-in-training who despite being hated in this town of mine, still reaches his hand out to those in need and protects them. A weak useless trash who despite knowing I could kill him, fights even if he will only remain trash in the end." Shinpachi fainted from exhaustion. Housen amusingly added, "You will never become someone as beautiful and strong as Hinowa; the sun that I thirst to crush in my fists. But it'd be a shame if you die here. I will leave you and your family to live, and see what will come of you, Kousen."

._._._.

A/N: Gawd, it's difficult to write younger Shinpachi and old bastard pervert Housen. Like I imagine that Shinpachi would survive the harsh lifestyles of Yoshiwara with the inspiring help of Hinowa just as Shinpachi did with Otsuu-chan. And I have this crack idea of making Housen like an important parental figure for Shinpachi, and Shinpachi's is treated with more freedom yet less mercy with Housen due to being male. It's a really CRACKED up idea, but I really wanted to write it between other drabble chapters!


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: A part of me feels so wrong for trying to give Shinpachi a tragic story since his normalcy is one of the great things about him, but like, I wanna play with this character y'know.

._._._.

Chapter 2

It took over a week to heal from the injuries that Housen inflicted on Shinpachi. When he could walk again, he proceeded to do his chores carefully. His mentors began calling him by his given name Haku Mei or Haku for short. Shinpachi reacted to the name, only feeling a slight sense of reluctant belonging to such a grand palace that truly showed the historical aesthetic of Japan in these progressive times. Odder that it was done through the wishes of a foreigner.

Shinpachi hadn't seen Housen over that week, which he didn't mind since he wasn't sure how the man would react to him now that he spoke so boldly. Shinpachi honestly regretted being that bold. At the time, he thought he should've been sociable and honest, but he definitely gotten carried away due to the personal questions no one had bothered to ask him over the last year. His brain had been thinking of those answers continuously that it felt like such a relief to share, but a dread that it was with the Lord of the city.

He hoped not to see the man for quite a while, but that wasn't his decision when he was privately told to serve the man in secret one night. He internally screamed as he nodded and robotically thanked for the request.

When the time came, he was dressed in a luxuriant kimono, his makeup was done with precision and care, and his hair was decorated with few accessories fit for his low stature. He was then escorted by one courtesan to a room without anyone in sight. The emptiness of the hall made the nervous ice on his back freeze further. Yet he steeled himself when he was left alone at the door. He may have done it too well because his legs refused to move.

"What's wrong?" A roughhousing-like teasing voice carried heavily out the opened door. "Did you already lose while recuperating? I wouldn't be surprised since I did almost kill you."

Shinpachi glared at the man across the room who smirked at him playfully. The nine-year-old walked in with his chin high.

"Please don't be mistaken, Lord Housen. I was simply unsure of how to face you since I did something unprofessional." Then he smiled at the yato benignly. "I am glad to see that I am still in your good graces, Lord Housen." He bowed down lowly. "How may I serve thee?"

Housen amusingly inquired, "How do you want to serve me, Kousen?"

Shinpachi felt out of place at first to finally hear that name refer to him, yet he simply accepted it. He then happily answered, "With tea, Lord Housen."

The old man guffawed. "Tea?! And how is that supposed to quench the thirst of this man's body. Hadn't they taught you the basics, boy?!"

Shinpachi bravely answered, "That once a man gets to a certain age, their body thirst for sake and their soul thirst for women. But I am not a woman, and it's no fun to drink sake alone. Tea seems to be the best substitute and can definitely not only warm the body but soothe the soul. Won't you let me serve you tea, Lord Housen?"

The yato always did prefer to drink sake above anything including water. But the boy was right. Drinking sake with a child was no fun, and Housen was up to trying new things to ease his boredom. He had Shinpachi head to the kitchen beside them filled with anything he may need to satisfy Housen's interest.

Shinpachi prepared sweets to go with the matcha tea he traditionally made in order to make Housen feel welcomed in his presence. Housen definitely felt a sense of calmness in the boy's presence as he watched the tea be prepared, and then felt a warmth wash over him after drinking. It had definitely been awhile since he felt such heat swim through his body. The boy drank his, making a smile by the lingering sweetness that filled his mouth. Housen felt swayed by the tranquil atmosphere to inquire, "Kousen, you told me before that you learned from your mother. It helps make sense as to why you easily adapted to your new status as a prostitute for men's pleasure better than all boys your age. Does that strength in your eyes come from her as well?"

Shinpachi's pleased expression immediately turned into one of shock and then sadness mixed with embarrassment. Yet he dutifully answered, "I thought you wanted me to forget my old life, Lord Housen. So forgive me if I don't answer."

Housen chuckled, "So you are true to your promises. Then what do you propose we talk about?"

The boy smiled with cunning playfulness, "Since I am a blank slate, I have nothing to give to the table, so please tell me about you, Lord Housen."

"Me?" The man breathed in the fuel to look back into his grim bloody past filled with the clouds, the night sky and an umbrella's shade. In his sober state, he felt a sense of lack of accomplishment. All the battle he waged, all the battles he won, all the glories he took, they felt nothing more than a child's first craft project glory. He took a larger gulp of the hot tea to feel its sting just like the sun's rejection.

Shinpachi panicked when he noticed his sadness, "B-but you don't have to tell me! It was stupid of me to ask! STUPID! STUPID! STUPID! I'm SORRY!" He slammed his head on the floor for repentance.

Housen chuckled lowly. "You already know that I'm a yato, Kousen. And us yato are one of the most powerful species in the universe. Our strength, our speed, our will are unbeatable. Even as I laze here drinking, eating, and sleeping with women nightly, my body remains perfect." He disrobed his upper clothing to reveal his muscles. "I have remained this way for over a decade, and I can still crush any who defies me."

"Like the woman the other night."

Housen smirked maliciously at the boy. "So you are still hung up by that."

"I respond with respect that of course I am. I have seen lives waste away on these streets, but that's no different from the upper world. As the world of samurai steadily disintegrates, I see those who learned to adapt away from it, and others who cling to it as they slowly waste away and be thrown away to jail to commit seppuku, or continue to terrorize the peace we tried to maintain. Yet, despite my words, I still believe samurai have a place in the current world."

"Hm?"

Shinpachi somberly reminisced, "For the last year, I had hated my father for allowing his pride as a samurai to tear our family apart. It made me wish samurai would already die off of the face of the earth, but then I remember my late big brother. He had the soul of a samurai, and wanted to expand such talents only to end up dying. And it wasn't because he was a samurai that he died. He became who he was because he was a samurai. Though my father couldn't uphold his own values, my big brother did to the end, and I...I want to lose the sword but not my spirit. I-" Shinpachi gasped and bowed again. "I'm SORRY! I'm SORRY! I'm SORRY! I swore to give up the past, but like a fool I-"

His apology was disrupted by the man's laughter, getting a hair ruffle from him. Shinpachi was surprised to feel a callused strong hand gently touch his head. He couldn't help blushing by such an affectionate touch that he hadn't felt in a long time. Housen confessed, "It was foolish of me to tell you in such a brazen way to forget. Instead of forgetting, I should've told you to forgo any loyalty you have to them. Cut all mere bonds to those who still walk among the living."

Shinpachi thought back to his family, and the only true living person his heart and soul clung to was his older sister. Though in many ways was like their father, she was still lovely and sweet and dependable. The only living person Shinpachi had some bright memories of since Hajime was gone. He didn't want to let her go, but then he reasoned that it may be best if he did. There was no way out of Yoshiwara, and even if he did get the chance to leave, what would he come back to. He saw himself as Urashima Tarou. He was just going back with a box of hopes and dreams, only to find out that both he and his world was no longer there to welcome him. If he wanted to be truly strong, he had to cling onto a more realistic hope. He had to cling to the possibility of a better life in the future where there may be a place that would welcome him and he would in return protect.

So he replied, "If that's what Lord Housen wants then I shall follow as best as I can." His eyes became lost once his mind accepted the decision. Housen watched as the boy's mind wandered aimlessly a bit before the little scatter of light came back to him. The boy nodded with fists of determination.

The man tested him, "Can you truly swear to do that? Or will you turn back on your word the moment you have the opportunity to escape from this place?"

Shinpachi readily replied, "Perhaps out of curiosity, but the bonds you speak of were already wavering once I arrived here. I'm doing nothing more than clinging to nostalgia as my soul is trying to break anew here. Loneliness is truly frightening, that more than hoping to be able to protect my sister in a false future, I am only trying to protect myself from reality. But coming this far without the people I love, I think I can walk without the lies to protect me. Thank you, Lord Housen, for helping me with this step forward." The boy sadly smiled at how true his words were.

Housen felt like something dangerous was blooming between them with those words. He thought strategically of whether it was beneficial to keep this boy around him for his own amusement. He highly doubted that such a relationship could lead to the downfall of his reign, especially when the Harusame had their eyes on him. Yet the boy may indirectly set things into motion. Then again, he was doing that himself by creating such a city.

With such suicidal thoughts, he smirked, and then continued to chat with the boy to challenge his ideology. Shinpachi would do his best to reply to all of them. Most being easy since he had done plenty of soul searching and questioning for the last year he's been in Yoshiwara. Others being quite complicated since he was only nine with very little experience.

The answers he gave sounded either intriguing, lame or confusing, yet the boy's overall atmosphere was calming. It's been a long while since Housen had felt a sense of ease. It was as if he was lying down on a peaceful field or sailing a ship among smooth rolling waves below clouds darkened by the scattered rays of light that did not harm him.

The emotions intensified when the boy would play the flute for him, and speak of Japanese history. Listening to such events, Housen thought that though he was proud of his yato heritage, he felt that the history of his people were one-note, while the history of mere humans were fascinating. So many dramatic events with the most needless emotions and actions in order to gain such useless desires that did not provide glory, and would end tragically. Housen saw such a future for the boy, but with how realistic and straight forward the boy tended to be from time to time, it placed doubts or even more interest for such an ending.

And thus nightly meetings like those went on with tea and snacks and even games such as Go and Shogi. Shinpachi who hadn't been able to be a child became one in that very room as he laughed with the man and got angry defenselessly when the man dared try to trick him out of his win! Housen laughed loudly, roughhousing the boy a bit as he continued to tease the little guy. Shinpachi would in turn scold him and strangely enough Housen became the child and Shinpachi the mature one. The two would end up laughing together in the end.

._._._.

"You seem to be in a good mood, Lord Housen." Jiraia pointed out to his current master after the two had gone over the usual business of Yoshiwara's welfare. "Your harem has been under stress due to your neglect towards them. They believe a blade will soon cut them down, so are trying to figure out the reason. However, this had caused the rivalry between them to rise. Any woman who pleases you the most are given the best pleasures after all."

Housen smiled sadistically, "Let them fight all they want. My interest have been turned to someone far more intriguing."

"Even if that boy is being used by your enemies to get closer to you, Lord Housen?" Jiraia dared question.

Housen allowed it, "You may think I'm being careless, Jiraia, but what better way to weed out the enemy than to pretend to lay into their trap. These Black Sun bastards have been a thorn in my side for too long. I thought my men had wiped out their entire crew, only for me to learn years later after taking the sun away from Yoshiwara that they had infested themselves among my women, thinking that retirement had weakened me." He gave a soft snort. "Everyone wants my neck in this government forsaken town. I knew from the beginning that I would find no peace from the heavens or this hell that I conquered for my own pleasure. Let anyone who dare defies me come to try to kill me. Old age was never how a yato should die."

Jiraia had a question that he felt echoed back and forth in his mind, but kept it to himself.

Unlike him though, at a later time, Shinpachi inquired, "Why did you retire?"

"Hm?" Housen paused his strategic thinking during one of their many board games.

Shinpachi added to the question, "Why did you retire? You talk a lot about how great your life was being in demand of your 7th division for the harusame. What made you decide to leave it?"

Housen thought back a little since there was layers of reason why he remained in Yoshiwara, but simply one reason why he retired. "I've reached an age where the battlefield doesn't quench my thirst. Every man in their life will thirst for something to keep them going through the day. You are still at an age of self-discovery and adventure, but once you grow a bit, you'll understand what I'm talking about."

Shinpachi felt like he could argue with that, but considering the huge age gap between him and his master, he rather take the man's word for it. Instead he inquired, "Then what is it that you thirst for now? It has to be more than this partying life you lead."

Housen lightly laughed at the indirectly rude statement. "What else can a man thirst for than sake and women?"

"A stable lifestyle." The child answered innocently, yet it choked Housen.

The man coughed out the tea and then guffawed. "A stable lifestyle? For a yato like me that's nothing more than a poor lame fantasy conjured by humans. Do you expect me to settle down in a modest home with one woman and a child?"

"No!" Shinpachi got defensive with a blush before he clarified, "I meant be a bit more organized with your lifestyle! Sure you're retired from the battlefield, but without proper structure in your life, you'll waste away. A lot of the courtesans and hyakka members are becoming worried about how you seem to have lost interest in what you used to do recently. I'm not surprised since you've kept up this lifestyle for more than two years straight. Before that, for the last twenty years or so you would've come and go in order to lead your division, but now that you're retired, you have let yourself be led along by this lifestyle."

"You think so?" Housen wasn't insulted. He always did feel like his life had been lacking in many ways. And a part of him felt like it was due to the lack of a sun that he could embrace.

Shinpachi nodded with a stern face. "A man so consumed by work and a man so consumed by recreation is a man lacking in many ways. And a man who does both just for the sake of stability but not for one's benefit is a man who is lost. Among those three, I think the latter isn't so bad. We're all lost in our own way, but at least you don't lack as much as the other two."

"So what do you propose I do, Kousen?" Housen inquired curiously.

The nine year old hummed to himself. "Free Lady Hinowa." Housen was surprised by such a reply when he really shouldn't be. But then Shinpachi added, "But then that would collapse your control, right? Hinowa was the first among all attempts to not only free herself but bring a Yoshiwara born citizen out of this government forsaken place. To free her would mean that you have become lenient, but unless you have proven to have ulterior motives, the act could be seen as a strategic move that displays your boundless cruelty. However, to free such a person would most likely strike up a rebellion. Before the incident two years ago, simply keeping Hinowa in Yoshiwara was enough of a cage to keep things in control, but after that incident, you had to add a new lock."

Housen stared at the child in fascination by how well his Kousen thought out his rule in detail. The man simply wanted to keep Hinowa close and not for the benefit of keeping Yoshiwara's cage smaller.

Words then slipped from the child, "But it is sad to have her locked up." He cleared his throat, "I mean for the sake of your livelihood, you should add more responsibilities on your plate."

Housen heard those slipped words, but ignored them. He already knew that his Kousen was a fan of Hinowa, that was why the boy could still stand tall since her sunlight gave strength to him, but unlike everyone, the child was not after his neck even though he had gotten a taste of the harsh givings of such a corrupted city. He wanted to ask the boy of why he did not despise him, fear him to a more normal extent, or seek superficial gratification from him. It may have been because his Kousen was more interested in maturing his own self, but then wouldn't such development have the negative emotions towards such a monster such as himself. Hinowa did not because she was the virtue of kindness. But his Kousen spared kindness both selflessly and selfishly when it came to strangers, friends and enemies.

"Such a complex child," Housen muttered to himself with a smile before sipping his tea. Shinpachi refilled it.

The boy then asked, "So who did you leave in charge of your division?"

"Ah, a yato child named Kamui. He is only two years older than you I believe." Housen didn't mind the change in subject.

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH! ONLY TWO YEARS OLDER! But you retired officially two years ago so you left it in the hands of a nine-year-old?!"

"Us yato mature faster than the regular human. A four year old is practically your age, so by that estimate, he's practically a young man now."

"But still to put such a child in a high position when you have older prominent members of your division to take over..."

"You see, Kousen, when it comes to us yato, guts is the first sign of a true leader. To become a strategic, experienced and strong leader can be molded. It was the best decision to put him in charge with men capable of leading him so he can be molded to a functional leader in the long run. You humans have to take step by step from the bottom in order to gain a leadership role, but for us yato who lives for the battlefield only needs to toughen up at the top."

"If you say so. But I am curious of what this Kamui-san is like or what your crew is like. Spending time with you, I wonder if they are as strong yet decisive like you are or perhaps more battle brute."

"Who's decisive you little shit." Housen destroyed the boy's well maintained hair.

Shinpachi laughed as the hair pins fell. He teased the man with such lame words that made Housen laugh along with him.

._._._.

Shinpachi practiced dancing along with the other girls. He wasn't as cute as the other girls, yet his charisma shadowed their appearances. He was praised by his mentor while the other girls gossiped behind his back.

"Why is he even here? He should just be mopping the floors like he should."

"Yeah. And he's expected to be a courtesan when he's not even a girl. Talk about disgusting."

"He's not even that cute. I bet once his balls drop, he'll be killed."

"He's better off dead anyway."

"I know right! It's absolutely revolting to see a man act like a girl! And the type of men who sleep with other men should be killed too!"

"Hey, do you think that's what they're doing? I bet we have male prostitutes here in order to weed out those weirdos!"

"Oh, that makes so much more sense!"

"But what if Lord Housen is one of those weirdos. I heard a rumor that Lord Housen had been ignoring his own harem for awhile, and it started once we arrived here. And none of us are sleeping with him right."

"Ew! You don't mean he's sleeping with that boy!"

"I mean Lord Housen was the one who wanted male courtesans to be a thing here, so can we really rule it out?"

A shadow suddenly blanketed them, "How about you shut your mouths or else Lord Housen will order his women to pull out your tongues, hm?" The girls looked up to see Nobuyuki smiling down at them with squinted golden eyes. They quickly ran away to their next destination.

Shinpachi walked up to him, a bit hesitantly, but when Nobuyuki smiled at him with obsidian eyes, the boy could tell that this was the kinder mood. He freely complained, "It truly is troublesome how gossipy they can be without any idea of who might be listening in." The child was used to being cursed for death that it had frightened the boy at first, but the feeling eventually waned once he found himself breathing longer than he expected.

Nobuyuki complained with him, "But it is troublesome how Lord Housen seemed to have lost interest. Any more and he may set this place loose."

"That won't happen. Lord Housen still has interest in this place. It's only normal for a man to grow a little disinterested for awhile before returning back to his old self. Partying for two years straight can do that to a person, amanto or otherwise."

"I see. But you better keep your guard up, Haku. With such dangerous rumors flying around, it's only a matter of time before one or more snap under the pressure of this simple disinterest."

Shinpachi felt his fear for death come back a little more lively.

With death held up on so many women's heads, it made the atmosphere even more toxic. Catfights were breaking out more often, courtesans flinching and panicking at the sight of a hyakka member even if they were not in charge of executions, and even some of the girls worry for their future even if not much was to come out of it in the beginning.

The boy really hoped his talk with Housen could resolve these things.

Later that night, Shinpachi slept peacefully but he woke up on high alert when he heard the soft sound of his door slide open with the sounds of heavy liquid dripping on the floor. His tired brain rebooted itself to wake up since one of the courtesans must be waking him up for another night of lessons. However, what he was greeted with was not an order but a kunai raised at the ceiling.

He was quick to roll off his bed and make a run for it. "HELP! HE..." He stopped in horror before a pool of blood of the girls from earlier along with courtesans who had their faces left unidentifiable. His scream echoed throughout the palace.

"Go ahead and scream." The killer spoke with a careless voice while firmly holding onto the bloodied kunai that continued to drip by the blood sliding down the woman's arm. "My oh my, how did I do this? I got a customer of mine to give me incense that worked like a sleeping gas, so everyone within this palace is deep asleep. The guards outside have absolutely no idea what I've done until it's too late."

"Why?" Shinpachi was surprised that he could talk after seeing all the bloodshed before him. His body was quaking in fear, yet his heart lit up with fury, "WHY DO THIS?!"

"Whyyy? Because of Lord Housen of course. If I'm going to die, why shouldn't anyone else here die along with me! We're all expecting it! One way or the other, we're going to get killed because of a man's opinion about whether we are good enough or not! I thought now that I am in Housen's harem, I could be spared a life of luxury if I had to die so cruelly, but he lost interest! I haven't been touched in weeks, and I can't stand it! A man's dick or a woman's blade?! If I have to succumb to a fate, it will be my own hands! Everyone else was an act of mercy!"

Shinpachi wished he had swallowed the words he told Housen the other night. Though feeling like a hypocrite, he argued, "Mercy? Why didn't you just poison us instead of doing something like this!" He pointed at the gruesome face, "This is not mercy! This is an act of maliciousness that you forced upon these women and you tried to force upon me! You did nothing of justice! You're just a murderer!"

"A boy like you who smiles at that monster has no right to say that!" The woman charged at him, but Shinpachi was able to disarm her due to the self-defense classes he took. However, the woman was still able to smack him down to the floor and grab hold of his throat. She pushed the sharp nails of her thumb into his throat and the rest into the back of his nape. Shinpachi took advantage of his height to stomp her groin which got her let go of him. He then used both feet to push her off with enough force to leave her breathless. He took the opportunity to grab the kunai and hold it against her.

"Stay down." He pleaded with a steady hand. "Stay down, please."

The woman stared up at him with crazy eyes. "I saw you..." Her eyes turned into one of sorrow and confusion, "I saw you that day you were initiated into this hell hole. Why...Why can you smile at a monster who damned you into this place where you'll have to go against your nature and sleep with men. I don't even like men. I was in love with one of the courtesans here, but because she couldn't sell, she was killed. I tried...dear whoever will listen did I try to move on, but I can't. Please kill me. Give me mercy. You see the type of monster I am, just kill me."

Shinpachi stared helplessly at this broken woman that he cried for her. "I...I'm sorry." He thought back to all the smiles he shared with Housen. The happiness and the satisfaction of being by his side. The freedom he felt given by the voice he could raise in that very room. But what had happened while he drank his tea like a fool. He knew women were suffering, tried his hand to ease it with his voice, but seeing the worse of it before him now, he realized he had protected nothing and instead made it worse. He felt his core crack.

The woman lightly laughed as tears fell from her eyes. A pitiful smile gracing her lips, "You sound like an apologizing lover. So it's you who took Housen away from his harem for weeks on end. So you like men after all."

Shinpachi thought about that and answered, "I don't know. I'm only nine. I don't know! I don't even know if I like girls! I just live in spite of my father! I just wanted to survive here, and got carried away with being treated special by an older man since my father threw me away! I thought I was being a better stronger person by sitting next to the demon of this hell and playing by his rules, but all I did was cause destruction because of my ignorance! I'm sorry! Please forgive me!"

The woman chuckled softly, and then sighed, "If you want forgiveness, then kill me. Give me the mercy I couldn't give. I rather it be your blade than a hyakka's."

Shinpachi felt his stomach bend by the request. His throat was ready for the vomit that was about to spew if he were to do this. He felt like there was no way out of this, but then that made him think back to his father. How the man was forced to choose between his children, and because he favored his sister, Shinpachi's name slipped from his mouth. If only his father had thought smarter, he could've seen another way. There was always another way.

"No. If you want to be killed by anyone, be killed by that monster." Shinpachi threw the kunai to her. The woman was confused. The nine-year-old explained, "Being killed by a coward like me won't do you any favors. Seeing you now after killing all these women who must have frustrated me as well, it won't do me any favors to kill you. The true enemy is in this palace, and if you are going to die anyway, why not do it like that."

The woman thought the child was crazy, but...he was right. "You know you will be killed if they figure out that your provoked me to do this."

Shinpachi gave a sad smile. "I know, and I will struggle for the heck of it."

"...Alright." The woman got up with the kunai in hand and walked passed the child. She stopped for a moment. "You still didn't answer my question. How can you stand to be beside such a monster. Is it really because you have daddy issues?"

Shinpachi turned around to answer, "No. When I came here, I didn't blame Yoshiwara or the person who sold me. My true enemy was my own father. I don't despise him for choosing me over my sister, but I despise him for allowing things to get as worse as they did when he had children to protect. Out of spite and determination, I tried to become a better person who would always choose to protect people instead of my pride in this corrupt city. In order for me to accomplish that, I tried to emulate Lady Hinowa by being the best worker-slash-courtesan I can be here. Every time I achieved and stood back up from my failures I felt like I was heading towards my goal. That was all. Getting close to Housen wasn't planned, and I know I shouldn't have come to enjoy his presence, but within the monster, I found Lord Housen to be like any other old man who got carried away with his weaknesses."

"Any other old man huh? Then he's like your father isn't he?"

"No. Lord Housen is not a father. It's not a fair comparison between a father that failed his children and a monster who drinks sake beside a woman's tears. Both are unforgivable, and I do hold frustrations against Lord Housen, but unlike with my father, I believe I can change the tides here with Lord Housen. You may think I'm delusional, but I see good inside him. Things could've been so much worse here in Yoshiwara where women were not protected from the harmful hands of a man or the poisons he tries to sell. Where women are made to give birth, only for their children to be sold for profit, or for a mother to live on carrying that burden. There's still hope for further leniency if not freedom in the mid-run of things."

"Mid-run of things?"

"A man like that...is not suited for an elderly death."

The woman smiled at such realistic yet idealistic thoughts, at such strong and resentful yet kind and opportunistic words. She had nothing more to say so headed off towards her target while picking up weapons from the murdered warriors. She burst through his bedroom to not find him there. She then headed to where Hinowa was to find Housen. It was obvious that the man must've woken up by Shinpachi's scream, not at all effected by the incense. Then upon seeing the bloodshed, had went to see Hinowa's state.

She launched her kunais at him and leaped to cut him down. Housen took the kunais to the arm and then easily brushed everything off with a single swing. She fell to the ground beside the statue of the rabbit on the moon. She got up just as Housen landed. She jumped back and threw more kunai before charging again. Housen again took the kunais to the arm and then slammed her down on the ground, cracking the floor beneath her. She screamed for her body to get up. If she was going to die, then it would be with her trying to the very end.

"I'm sorry." She mouthed as the memory of the killed females came to mind. "I'm sorry." She whispered when Housen gave her the opportunity to stand. "I'm sorry." The memory of her beloved courtesan appeared before her eyes in front of a beam of light. "I'm...sorry." She suddenly found herself free of pain and standing upright in front the other courtesans and her beloved who reached her hand out. She took it, walking away to a bright place.

Housen stared at the dead woman who fell back down onto the ground. He then looked up to see Shinpachi standing next to a column where he hid when the former courtesan arrived. He jumped back up to the child who bounced back against the column. "Satisfied?" he sat down, sticking his punctured arm out to the boy.

Shinpachi dutifully took out the kunais one by one. As he did, he didn't answer. He didn't look at the man either. Housen thought to himself that this shouldn't be a shock. It was one thing to kill a random woman who was suspiciously there in the first place, but another to see how careless the man can be for this massacre to occur, and then kill the murderer who Shinpachi had come to sympathize first.

After removing all of the weapons, Shinpachi faced him with disappointment and courage in his eyes. His hands and teeth were shaking but he got a grip of them. "Aren't you going to punish me for provoking her to kill you?" He finally spoke with a voice filled with preparedness.

Housen stood up, looking down at the child. He slapped him with enough force to push the kid off his feet which was equal to killing a fly. Usually such act of betrayal was punished by death, but Housen didn't want to kill the kid, and he knew that it was for more than wanting to see another murderous plan unveil. He however blanketed his motives with light justifications, "You think you played a huge part in telling her to murder me? Such words are mere expressions here in Yoshiwara."

"Don't give me that bullcrap." Animosity dripped from the boy's mouth. "Don't bullshit me!" He got up on his feet with his pupils shrunk to bullets that shot the man. "Is that it?! Is that all you have to say?! Is that all I get?! Don't give me that lame excuse! What are you so shy about, you stupid old fart! Aren't you the King of the Night?!"

****WHAM!****

Shinpachi instinctively flinched when the column beside him split into half with crumbled remains dusting his body. His body screamed to move or to block, but he forced himself to remain still. He saw this man's cowardice just as he seen it in the eyes of his parents.

Housen took in the belittling, frustrated stare the child sported that was glossed by the watery tears that filled those tiny pools.

"Don't take me for a fool!" He charged at the man and was easily smacked to the floor. Shinpachi gasped at the pain that spread from his back, but he pulled himself to remain calm. He got off the floor, reeled in the pain that he learned to do from the beatings he took and attacked. He was smacked to the wall, the impact enhancing the pain that vibrated through him. He remained on his feet, and stumbled forward, but then retained his footing to run. He was smacked down continuously, but the image of Hinowa, Nobuyuki and everyone else of Yoshiwara flashed before his eyes, but the person he was focused on was the man before him.

He glared up at Housen from the ground that he lied on.

"Stay down, Kousen." The king ordered.

The to-be-courtesan snapped back, "Don't call me that. You have no right to call me that as if I'm yours!" His body pierced him with needles to prevent his movement, but he snapped those imaginary needles to stand and scream, "YOU MAY HAVE BOUGHT ME, BUT AT THIS VERY MOMENT, YOU LOST ANY CLAIM OF ME BY YOUR LACK OF RESPONSIBILITY!"

"What lack of responsibility?!" Housen projected his own voice. "You are all nothing but my playthings to do as I wish!"

"Then are you proud of this?! If I hadn't been immune to the incense and didn't scream, Lady Hinowa would've been dead! Is this how you handle your playthings, even the one you claim most precious?! Will you really shrug off the death of Lady Hinowa, YOU IGNORANT IRRESPONSIBLE COWARD! If so then just kill us here and now because tonight you FAILED as the King of the Night!"

Housen stared down at the boy who heavily breathed in that small aggressive body. Shinpachi moved forward to attack again; his head down so his tearful eyes and dripping snot wouldn't be seen. However, the boy lost all his strength when his body finally gave in. Housen's hand swung to catch him. Shinpachi felt his heart ache at the gentleness of that powerful hand. The pain kept him awake with the motivation to continue to speak like he should've from the beginning of their private meetings, "Why..."

Housen didn't speak a word, which was fine for the boy. He might as well finally voice his concerns for Yoshiwara, "What man orders the execution of pregnant women? I know why, and in a way, I know how, but with all this power, why all this suffering and violence? If a woman can't sell, why kill her? Women are more than sex dolls. You proved that by creating the Hyakka and keeping Lady Suzuran around. This kindness yet brutality of men...even with these balls and chinko of mine, I can't understand any of that."

The former captain replied, "That's because your father had done a poor job of raising you. Men are all predators who claim their territory and protect it for their own benefit. You wouldn't understand since you have never truly claimed anything as yours. Not even the dojo that he had decided over you."

Shinpachi breathed in despite the strain to expand his lungs, "I have no need of such a useless space. I have no need to claim any territory. Merely residing anywhere for a time is fine with me as long as everyone is well cared for. Even if I am hated in such a place, as long as I make no one walk over me and all is well, I can stand."

"By taking care of everyone, does that include killing me?" The Yato inquired curiously.

Shinpachi blinked his heavy eyelids, "Not without a proper plan because you're just a former division captain for a bigger organization that'll just replace you if you were to die." Housen chuckled at those words. Shinpachi felt insulted by the light laughter that he spoke a little stronger, "And sure you are cruel, but what you are doing now is well above the dirty people I'm sure exist below you, but I also believe you can do better. After tonight, I'm not saying you have to change everything. Just...please be more merciful by covering some of the ditches that make these women fall to nothing. I won't say to anyone," Shinpachi tapped his hand over Housen's heart. "The good I can see in you, king of the night..."

He fainted.

Housen gently placed the boy down, looking at the nail marks and bruising on the boy's neck. After seeing such marks, a ferocity awoken in him, but the boy's cries earlier overtook his rage. Shinpachi had pleaded for Housen to give the killer a chance to take him down before she arrived. It was the least he could do for his carelessness in sending Jiraia away from Yoshiwara in order to gain more information for a mission, which led to the killer to take advantage in creating a killing spree. Knowing that Hinowa was asleep and alive, he bothered to do it to see the person Shinpachi dared protect.

And then for Housen to do such a thing, to do anything he did with not enough maliciousness, did it truly warrant hope for a better life for the Yoshiwara citizens?

"The goodness you can see, huh? What good? You're just a piece of trash thrown away with foolish ideals to keep that worthless samurai soul afloat by a plank of wood you call your hope. An idiot who gave mercy to a killer because they convinced you to give them sympathy. And then convinced them to try to murder me in order to gain a more fulfilling death. Was that even an act of kindness or cowardice? Who are you to judge a man's actions?"

He sighed and then touched the place where Shinpachi's hand tapped.

"..."

He picked up the boy to get his wounds taken care of.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: This chapter was given a few more OCs to flesh out Yoshiwara a bit more. It definitely solidifies a tone of this story that I feel is alien to the tone that Gintama gives off, but this is an AU, so I feel justified to write in a serious tone.

._._._.

Chapter 3

The murder of all of the courtesans and trainees including a few of the hyakka members in the palace were a considerable dent on Housen's ego, but it was nothing to shatter his image over. Considering that there was no witnesses besides the unconscious Shinpachi, a false story spread by Jiraia will easily keep it maintained while the rest of Yoshiwara will even further corrupt it by their nasty habit of gossip.

Jiraia had gone through an investigation and the incense was in fact made of non-Earth chemicals that turned into a sleeping gas when burned. Females would be the most susceptible to it, which explained why Shinpachi wasn't as effected as the others, otherwise he would've died in his sleep. The shinobi sent out a team to find the origin of the foreign chemicals in order to locate the seller. Jiraia also investigated into the serial murderer to discover that the woman did indeed have a lover among the other courtesans who was killed not due to being unable to sell, but for trying to escape with her other female lover.

"Cheated and rejected by her lover, and then neglected by me led to breaking her own ego." Housen scowled at such a pathetic reason that nearly killed both his most prized possessions. He looked down at Shinpachi who rested on a futon in Housen's room. The boy looked like a mummy with all the bandages he had. No scarring would be placed on the boy however since he wasn't cut or was given internal bleeding during the fight. Housen looked back to their own battle, and it still rang through his head.

Housen frankly admitted, "The truth doesn't change anything. Either way, this was all caused by my own carelessness."

"Lord Housen?" Jiraia was shocked to see the man actually seem thoughtful after what occurred. The shinobi wished he was present during the attack to understand why, but he kept his curiosity to himself.

The king replied, "How is an old man supposed to enjoy his retirement when he can't keep his territory organized?" He stood up and ordered Jiraia to bring him his contacts. The shinobi nodded, taking his leave. Housen exited the room afterwards, ordering his most faithful warriors to watch over the boy or else. He then left to his own room where he had to further organize his plans of renovations and additions to make a small shift in things.

The man placed his hand over his heart and then smiled. He said as he walked, "What I will do is not for your sake or anyone else's. You simply made this retired old man realize he let himself go to his own wild whims when there's still so much work to do to keep my control and fulfill my thirst. And in exchange, Kousen, I will give you a reward."

As he made his way to his office, back in Shinpachi's room, a fly made its way into the room. It buzzed across the room before landing by the boy's side and took on the form of Nobuyuki. Tears welled up in his eyes as he gritted back the scream lodged in his throat. "Sasauchiwa." He referred to Shinpachi breathlessly. "Sasauchiwa. I'm so sorry. I'm so sorry."

"Are those tear drops meant to water this wilting flower, my dear." The man in the conical hat inquired from his squatting position on the ceiling. He looked over his hat with his turtle-like eyes . "Huh, Kemuri-love."

"Durt..."

The man dropped down beside Kemuri, giving him a nuzzle on his wet cheek. Kemuri nuzzled back with a confession, "I can't do this anymore, Durt. I love you enough to walk on this pathetic road of revenge beside my abusers, but not anymore. Hurt me. Use me. Imprison me. But don't hurt others, especially those I've come to love while doing so."

"I know, Kemuri-love. I know. I thought I could find a cure for you, so we can run away, but even I am losing hope. I'll take my guns and kill us both and drop our bodies out of that balcony. Can't get your favorite human messy after all."

Kemuri let out a soft laugh with an appreciative smile, "We can't do that. Kiri and Kumori will directly go after Sasauchiwa out of spite if we do."

"Can't your boys in the harem protect the little guy? They've been protecting you. Clever bunch they are."

"Clever they are, but not invulnerable like us. Durt...I am no longer afraid to die, but I will not make peace with death unless we drag those two with us and foil their plan."

"The little guy will still die. Hell, he knows he's gonna die. He knows almost everything, and probably knows that waiting decades to be able to enact a plan like this seem stupid, but Kiri's that eccentric of an asshole to do it. You'll have to make peace with that."

Kemuri grimaced, sparing a look back at Shinpachi in his semi-mummified form. He turned back to Durt to cry into his chest. Durt pulled his lover closer and rubbed his back in silence until it was time to leave. The two of them with Kiri and Kumori had to leave Yoshiwara to escape from Housen's wrath that was to come once the man had settled on a suitable punishment far worse than only to attempting to kill Lady Hinowa.

Kemuri just came to give one last final good bye with a kiss one Shinpachi's forehead, hoping that the fond memories they had together will never be soiled by what was to come.

_"Have you ever thought of murder, Haku?" Kemuri strangely inquired one day as he taught the boy calligraphy._

_Shinpachi stopped his paint stroke. He looked up at his sensei with innocent confusion. Kemuri could see the caution in the boy's eyes that the amanto understood due to also having been abused mentally by Kiri and physically by Kumori. Kemuri hoped at least without losing the boy's trust, was able to keep him at ease emotionally._

_The boy answered the question hesitantly, "N-No. Uhm, I mean I think about how awful it is that the courtesans are murdered here from time to time, but I don't think about committing it, if that's what you mean?" He wondered if that even made sense or if he spoke too many words and it just became diluted._

_Kemuri understood perfectly. His voice seemed to dance teasingly, "Is that so? But weren't you being raised into a samurai before coming here, Haku? Don't you know what samurai do?"_

_Shinpachi glared at him. "Of course I do! But they do it in order to protect what's important to them!"_

_"Really? Then tell me who are the samurai: the policemen who fight with their swords for the sake of peace, but does it under a government that betrayed the samurai? Or is it the joi rebels who destroys the peace by going after the government, but does it so that their own culture is not erased by the invasion of foreigners, and that men like your father did not have to destroy his family by playing their rules?"_

_Shinpachi at first looked like he could easily answer the man, but then at the mention of his father, his lips did not open. The former samurai-in-training mentally argued that the foreigners shouldn't be blamed for his father's stupid mistakes. Yet looking into the larger scale of things, he understood through his history lessons of the boundless cruelty subjected to Japan due to the invasion of these foreigners. He understood that in order to keep such a traitorous government from completely abandoning its people for the sake of a foreigner's pleasure, natives had to step up against it. But Shinpachi knew that not every Joi rebel was out for the sake of the country, and instead were out to gain the past glories of a samurai filled with prestige and power. But that kind of samurai was nothing more than a bully to the child._

_It was definitely a difficult question that Shinpachi tried to think smaller, and his brain conjured up Hajime-nii and his father. The student that embraced the future with a smile, but died with his dreams. And the master who embraced the past with pride that destroyed his family. In addition, neither of them in their own way were able to protect Shinpachi from his fate._

_"I don't know." He replied lowly in resignation. "I believed that being a samurai meant being a warrior willing to protect what matters, so..." His eyes looked ahead of him as words slipped away from his mouth in waves. "Did I mean less than a dojo? Did a wife, the mother of his children, mean less than his own pride? A samurai protecting what matters? He was just protecting himself." Shinpachi didn't want to speak the next words, but he felt so frustrated with the family that let him down. "And what do you mean smile even if I'm in pain in front of everyone? Laugh when I want to cry? I'll just look like a maniac, idiot! Hajime-nii," Shinpachi felt himself tremble violently but he did his best to contain himself as his emotions leaked away in his voice, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry! But why did you have to die?!"_

_Kemuri took away the paintbrush and the paper, and let the boy fall to his lap. He rubbed the boy's shoulder, trying to ease the trembling with some tough loving advice, "Even cursing the name of your big brother, my, have we come full circle. You should just abandon it. You'll become a proper courtesan by then."_

_Shinpachi didn't reply immediately because he was too overwhelmed. He let himself cry for the rest of the session until he fell asleep. He woke up a few hours later to find himself in his room where Kemuri was wetting a towel in a bowl of water._

_"I already cancelled your other lessons, but you are still expected to see Lord Housen. I cooled away the puffiness, so you won't greet him with a pathetic face."_

_Shinpachi sat up as Kemuri passed him a cup of water that he took careful gulps of. He thanked him and then said, "You want me to stop having the spirit of a samurai?"_

_"I want you to stop giving your personality such a foolish title. Samurai are nothing more than thugs for political or personal gain, and if none of those, then they become their teacher who will just produce more of these no good thugs. Besides isn't the one you want to emulate is Hinowa? Give up on this nonsense samurai soul and embrace the soul of a courtesan."_

_"Soul of a courtesan?" Shinpachi found that to be an interesting concept. "So the soul of an entertainer for pleasure of not only the body and mind but also the soul..." The boy gave it more considerable thought, though Kemuri could tell that the face of Hajime-nii filled his vision. The deceased young man was a teacher, but he was still also a student who wanted to expand his knowledge since a samurai was always evolving and discovering. This led to Shinpachi to think critically in order to find the right words to say._

_"I...I know I probably should forget my old life as the child and student of the samurai since I am no longer in a place or era for samurai to exist, but..." Hajime-nii's smile shone brightly in his memories. Shinpachi got up and opened a door that led to a balcony where he could see the orange lights of Yoshiwara. He knelled down, staring out at the ridiculous men buying their courtesans. "What you say is true for the present. After the government had betrayed the samurai who swore to protect this nation, the employment for samurai dwindled as the years grew. This caused those who were only ever taught the sword like my father to struggle in the new world, especially since body guards with guns were more efficient than swords."_

_Kemuri knelled beside him. "Is there a but?"_

_Shinpachi let himself smile despite the pain he felt, but his lips dropped immediately. Instead of a force happiness, he used his frustration and anger again, but with more control, "Hajime-nii...Maybe people these days abuse the title of samurai since it no longer stands to mean anything in this new era, but if such a word is free, then anyone can claim it as their own. As for Hajime-nii, he may have become a teacher of thugs, but he always had the best intentions to make them into warriors who would protect what needed to be protected, including oneself..." The little boy sounded pleased to have been finally able to spout that with clarity. A small smile crept on his face. "So Nobuyuki-san, I will still call the soul I bear the soul of a samurai that I forged through the teachings of Hajime-nii. And I don't mind merging that soul with the soul of a courtesan."_

_Kemuri couldn't help snorting charmingly, "So you are a prostituting samurai?"_

_Shinpachi giggled. "It will be my trademark!"_

_The two laughed together like they had a couple of times during lessons, and continued to talk with more laughter over philosophy, gossip, and the such until it was time for Kemuri to leave before Shinpachi had to get ready for his meeting with Housen._

._._._.

Tsukuyo looked out from the roof of the palace with Jiraia. The streets appeared to be peaceful, but the corpses within the palace being delivered to the male brothel was another story. She knew that this was caused due to Housen ignoring his courtesans, but she couldn't wrap it around her head that such a situation could ever happen since Housen was the king who would usually drink and ruin a bed nightly between maintaining the city. Yet at a slow surprising turn of events, he instead opted to use his endless free time to drink alone and surprisingly read. Tsukuyo couldn't shake off her awkward feeling when she remembered being at her master's side during a meeting with Housen. Instead of two beautiful courtesans serving him sake, he was doing it himself with a novel at his side.

She couldn't figure out how Housen had become so...not necessarily boring or normal, but...tamed. Even that word felt wrong to her. The only thing she could think of that could connect the dots was that boy. She knew he went by his former name for a year, but after his name finally changed, his former name was difficult to remember. She thought that it was because his former name didn't hold a light to his present name 'Haku Mei Kousen', otherwise meaning streams of light softly gleaming through the opening of the clouds (Crepuscular Rays).

From time to time, she heard about the boy being a hard worker, and then also a strange child who smiled for Housen. Since then the boy had been meeting with him privately, and all the courtesans believed that Housen did this only out of curiosity for the boy's personality. Everyone knew the man had absolutely no interest in men, and especially never for little boys. But no matter how strange this child was, he can't possibly be the reason why Housen was acting differently.

Tsukuyo believed that, too, but then she thought back to a bewildering incident during the boy's self-defense lesson.

_"Is that how you're going to fight when a customer tries to rape you violently?" Nobuyuki inquired, his hand softly squeezing Shinpachi's throat. The nine-year-old calmly and slowly breathed through his nose, used to such brutality. They were currently located at a well matted empty room that was used for self-defense classes in the palace. Tsukuyo and Jiraia were present to see how the training for male courtesans went. Classes were usually harsh, but they could see it in Nobuyuki's eyes that he wanted to take a match and char the boy's skin, or dig those finely maintained nails into his larynx._

_"No." Shinpachi simply answered to not evoke rage. "I slipped my footing. I'll fix that, Nobuyuki-san."_

_Nobuyuki looked insulted by the answer when he was eager for any reason to evoke that rage, but he couldn't find it in the boy's wording. Instead he roughly pushed the boy down and got above him. The boy visibly shivered in disgust and fear, and he was quick to try to use the moves that he was taught, but Nobuyuki was quicker, and slapped the boy's face hard enough for a thunderclap to ring in the room. Shinpachi lost focus for a bit, but regained it to kick the veteran courtesan in the stomach, but got hurt instead for doing so. The other side of his face was slapped just as hard for his retaliation._

_Shinpachi kept his eyes open to look at Nobuyuki's throat, and with a swift hand, he stabbed his fingers into the side of the man's throat. Tsukuyo thought that that move was particularly specific for mere self defense. And when the man audibly gasped, Shinpachi punched him in the eye to get him off. He then quickly got on his feet and ran to a safe corner._

_For a moment, Tsukuyo froze when she felt an ominous presence emitting from Nobuyuki that she wanted to draw her weapon, but Jiraiya was quick to hold her wrist and keep her calm with a simple look._

_She refocused on the scene, and saw Nobuyuki smiling rigidly at Shinpachi with those dead obsidian eyes. "I suppose this is when the Hyakka members will come and kill such a customer. Every maggot who comes through those doors may think this is their heaven, but they should know better that they're within somebody's own home, and if you break one of their merchandise, the owner will break you."_

_Shinpachi planted his feet on the floor as his body stiffened as if it could harden for any incoming attack. Nobuyuki gave him a painfully hard playful smile. Shinpachi looked like he was about to freeze when he noticeably cringed at this awkward man's words, "But honestly, what about rape play? I mean can a hyakka member really tell the difference between real abuse and acting in a bedroom? I mean there's no such thing as consensual in this city. You either have sex or die. Isn't that right, Haku."_

_"ENOUGH!" Shinpachi demanded, sick of this amanto's twisted words. He wrung his brain for higher intelligent words to put this abuser in his place, "Break this and break that? Why even bother with fending oneself from the abusive touch of others? What insipid dialogue are you trying to have with me? During a self-defense lesson no less?! You should feel ashamed for speaking like that as a veteran, Nobuyuki-san. You may not have chosen this life for yourself, but to put that self-hatred onto a student makes you cringe-worthily pitiful. You should let go of your grand delusions of being a horror filled autobiographic genre of a male courtesan!" Shinpachi stomped his foot, throwing his fists down and head down with eyes closed, but voice raised thunderously, "YOU ABUSIVE FAKE!"_

_He rose his head, and thought his heart would stop when he was met with death contorting the face of the beautiful man who rose his hand to strike. But that arm suddenly jerked to a stop. Nobuyuki looked at his arm to see steel wires holding it back. Shinpachi felt his body taken into the safety of Tsukuyo's arms while Jiraia kept Nobuyuki constrained._

_Tsukuyo carried him to the exit, but to her utter surprise, Shinpachi yelled, "Wait! I'm sorry! It was my fault! Please don't hurt him!" Everyone stared at the strange boy with his desperate plea, "I was frustrated with being unable to accomplish this lesson that I took it out on Nobuyuki-san who wasn't feeling well either. Please, your job is to protect the well-being of the courtesans, and I am not harmed beyond necessary."_

_Nobuyuki looked at him but Shinpachi kept his attention on Jiraia. The man seemed to take his word into consideration, and then agreed. "You are right, but Lord Housen may think differently if he saw your swollen cheeks."_

_"That's a matter between the two of us." The nine-year-old spoke too boldly that the teenage Tsukuyo was taken aback. Shinpachi excused himself before walking out of that room in a lady-like manner._

_Jiraia looked over to Nobuyuki who glared back hotly as he took back his arm from the loosened wires. Tsukuyo didn't know what to say as the male courtesan left through another exit._

Once her brain could slow down and accept what happened, she had inquired to her master about why Shinpachi would defend Nobuyuki, but Jiraia simply answered that the boy had a strange bond with his tutor. Tsukuyo knew that there was more to that answer because she saw it in the boy's eyes that he needed to protect someone, and it wasn't the Nobuyuki in that room.

She truly did want to know the answer, but knew better than to pester her master for them. So instead ignored those questions, and simplified her thoughts. One of them was the way the boy took control of the matter of his own abuse. It had shocked her, but what completely shook her was the way he spoke to Jiraia, her own master, as if the greatest shinobi was his inferior.

"Master." She spoke with hesitance. "That boy, Haku Mei Kousen, who is he?"

Jiraia answered knowingly, "He's the former son of a samurai who had to repay the debts of a dojo by selling one of his two children, a boy and a girl."

"Boy and a girl? And he sold the boy?" Tsukuyo was deeply surprised by this. She had a younger brother as well, but she was the one chosen to be sold since she was the girl.

"Curious aren't you. I was curious as well, so I did some investigation to discover that the father simply chose the boy because he favored his daughter more, and had lied to her that her little brother had moved in with an uncle who helped pay off the debts. A parent would usually choose the daughter to be sold because the son is the one who carries the name and the family business, but in that boy's father's case, he realized that he would rather have his legacy absorbed into a different name through marrying his daughter off to a rich man than to have her suffer."

"And the mother?"

"She ran away about two years ago in order to avoid the fate of the loan sharks. Smart move since she may have been the one to be sold instead of her children." Tsukuyo frowned at that reality, but then her master added, "Oddly enough, the boy still loves the mother who abandoned him, and could possibly be the reason he was able to survive in this Hell without a broken or timid demeanor."

Jiraia looked down with his enhanced eye sight to see a familiar woman dressed as a man walking through the streets of Yoshiwara obviously searching for someone. He let her do as she pleased since she won't be able to find the boy even in the palace.

The woman dressed as a man still took it upon herself to go to one of Yoshiwara's courtesans to whisper a request for a male courtesan. The female courtesan tried to not show disgust as she led her to a secret door that every brothel had that led to the underground maze. She was given instructions on how to get there, and then was left on her own.

She followed the instructions, and made her way through the tunnel. She clenched the hilt of her sword tightly, prepared for any sudden attacks in the faintly lit tunnel.

Once she reached the ladder, she climbed up and pushed open the door which caused a bell to ring. Light struck her eyes, but she bravely opened it all the way and pulled herself up. Once she stood and took a good look, she was in a living room filled with several gorgeous men dressed in all types of clothing from native to foreign. A majority of those men surrounded one extravagant looking couch that four distinct looking men sat on.

"Welcome!" They all greeted in unison.

"We-welcome." She nervously replied back politely, shocking the men of her true gender as she removed her disguise. "I...I know that I am pushing my luck by being here, but I had to come here! I had been coming to Yoshiwara to make sure my son was still here and alive, but now I don't even know if he is after the rumors spread!" She looked them straight in the eye with frightened yet determined brown eyes they've seen before, "Please! If you know the truth, tell me! Is my son alive?!"

The room fell silent until someone clapped their hands. "Oh my my, we have quite the guest. Everyone is dismissed until the next bell." Said a man with unruly chestnut brown hair and dark skin reminiscent of a smoky quartz. He seemed to be the type to always muster enough energy to smile those thin curved lips. He was donned in a lazily put together golden yukata.

Everyone in the room left murmuring to each other, except for the four men in the couch.

One of them stood up and politely pulled out a chair from the closet beside them. "Please take a seat ma'am." He placed it behind her. The man had a dusky tan skin, spiky light brown hair and a Norse Skipper goatee. He wore a simple hakama and keikogei of neutral colors. With the way he spoke and stood, the woman easily recognized him to be a samurai.

It helped her feel at ease to accept the gesture. "Ah, thank you." She sat down. "I apologize for troubling you like this."

"Ah no no." The golden dressed courtesan reasoned, "We may advertise in servicing men, but to be completely honest, it's mostly been women coming here and all have come in male drag since rich women bored with bland straight men from above can't be seen in a place like this. Although I say women, we still get the receiving end." He snapped his fingers, and just like the air mask on the planes, strap-on dildos of all variations fell from the ceiling.

"AAAAAAAAAAAH!" The woman shrieked. "NO! No! No! No! NO. I am absolutely not here for that! I am here for my son!" She waved her arms, hoping that it was the hand gesture for them to just go away and never come back. Some of them didn't look humanly possible to enter a human being! It didn't work, so she just shut her eyes, and told them, "I don't know who else to turn to. And I thought that even if you are not informed about whether one of your courtesans or your potential courtesans are killed, I have heard that not only do you run as a male brothel, but you are also responsible for handling the deceased."

A third person of the courtesans chided, "Before we answer, it's manners to introduce yourself first." The man sighed. At least he must be a man despite sounding and looking like a beautiful woman from head to toe with his milky white skin, expressive hazel green eyes, perfectly curved cupid bow lips, and long ash brown hair styled into a braided crown. He wore a purple kimono designed with iris flower patterns, and his obi was tied in a butterfly knot.

"Ah! Sorry!" She quickly got on her knees, careful to avoid the dildos, and bowed, "My name is Akiyama Miku, formerly known as Shimura Miku. Two years ago, I ran away from my home in order to escape from being dragged down by my ex-husband's failures. I intended to come back for my son once I could provide for the both of us, and I struck luck with a childhood friend of mine who was willing to take us both in last year. I immediately ran back to my former home to secretly take my son away, only to hear through the gossip from the neighbors that my son Shimura Shinpachi had been sent to work with his uncle in the countryside and that it helped pay off the loan sharks." She gripped her pants with a trembling fist. "But I knew that was bull. There is no such uncle who could pay off such a debt, so with the help of a silver samurai willing to do anything, we raided the loan shark's territory for information, and that led me here."

"Ah, no wonder Sasa-hime still loves you." The last one finally spoke. He was a large, beefy trimmed man who was shiny like a wrestler who wore nothing but a loincloth. Miku would've felt awkward and shy by his appearance, but she was distracted by his cute snub nose, small bright eyes, and an infectious smile.

Yet his words caught her attention, "Sasa-hime?"

The former samurai explained, "It's our name given to him for his new life here in our brothel. We name all of our courtesans after flowers. Your son was given the name Sasauchiwa* or Sasa-hime. My name is Bussouge*, but you may call me Bubu for short if it suits you. The man in the loin cloth is Shakuyaku* or Shasha. The man in the golden yukata is Kochouran* though prefers to go by Koko. And the one with the butterfly knot is Queen Ayame*." Ayame striked her with a critical glare. "Queen Ayame does have the genitals of a man, but has the soul of a woman."

Ayame clarified, "Yoshiwara isn't a place for sex change, so nothing can be done about my body, but it's a sacrifice I'm willing to make to live here with my family." Miku was awed by her regal confidence.

Bussouge continued, "The four of us run this brothel together as its supervisors. Our managers Ume-sama* and Kiku-sama* are currently busy handling the aftermath of the massacre."

"Ah! So they know if my-"

"He's alive." Kochouran replied casually.

"Koko!" Ayame chided him.

"Hey, she's our little guy's mother. I mean look at her. How can you not see the resemblance." He gave an approving whistle that made the mother blush. "No doubt Sasa-hime is bound to grow up as a beauty now, and a brave one, too. She took the risk of coming here to know if her son is alive since she's been patiently waiting for him to come of age so that she can buy his freedom with ease."

"You knew?" Miku was dumbfounded.

Kochouran shrugged, "It's the smartest thing to do in a place like this. Buying a child in mid-training would go against the bleak morals that our great Lord Housen has. You could've been someone else lying that you're his mother and had the intentions to sell him off to blacker markets interested in the boy's age moreso than his potential. There used to be buyers like that here in Yoshiwara, but after Housen made a public demonstration in his grand halls, they never came again."

Ayame clicked her tongue, "Yoshiwara may be Hell, but at least it has standards. Although thirteen is still too young in my opinion." She was pulled into Koko's arms, having her head rested on his shoulder.

Shakuyaku told Miku, "Sasa-hime is currently healing at Housen's palace, but we have a way to get you there, but it can unfortunately only be a short visit. We would love to reunite the both of you and set you free, but we'll all be hunted down and killed if we dared."

"It's alright. I only came just to know if my son is alive, but to also see him, even for a short while..." The mother fell to tears. "Thank you. Thank you."

They all then got on their feet and led her back down through the door she entered through, and they walked down the tunnel until they reached a wall that was actually an illusion by the matching wall behind it. They walked through the hidden passage there and came to a metal door. With a knock, a peep hole was slid open.

A pair of old eyes lined in makeup appropriate for a Geisha inspected them. "Oh! If it's the four of you together, it must be for something important."

"Sasa-hime's mother is here." Koko lazily explained.

SLAM!

A peep hole half way down the door automatically slid open to reveal another pair of old man eyes. "Sasa-hime's mother! Now that's not a sight you see every day!"

"It isn't. I take it that you four brats plan on taking her to see the child."

"Yes." Bussouge answered. "We will make sure she is bought to him and back here safely in an orderly fashion. I swear on it."

The old men stepped back from the peep holes they shut closed, and the metal door creaked open. Miku was frightened since she knew that she was about to enter the morgue, but she stoned her will to enter nonetheless for her son.

The room was surprisingly bright and looked exactly what a morgue would look like in a decent hospital. The door creaked shut, and Miku's eyes first laid on the tall old man who did in fact had the full face makeup of a Geisha with the wig and accessories, but he was dressed like a doctor. The short man beside him also in a doctor's uniform had many moles on his face with a furry mustache that he seemed to like to wiggle with the movement of his lips.

Bussouge introduced, "The Geisha impersonator is Ume-sama, and our mustache expert here is Kiku-sama. They were Yoshiwara's first male courtesans."

Kiku snorted, "Only made officially due to you brats." He pointed at Koko and Ayame. "When Ume and I were young, we were just sons of prostitutes made to do chores around the brothels. And every now and then in between, secretly seduce their customers to be ours. When that Housen boy came here, we were given the duty to clean up the corpses."

Ume added on, "It was and is a simple job. Courtesans who were killed are cremated here, and their ashes were to be sent through a tube to the ground above to a mail box so that they could be sent to a flower shop. The florists there will then scatter their ashes in a private garden owned by Housen, but only after being processed since the ashes contain salt harmful for the plants." Miku found that pleasantly respectable. "As for the rude customers, their bodies are thoughtlessly thrown down a chute where their bodies are thoughtlessly " Miku's face dropped, once again fearing this place.

Kiku chuckled, "It's not a very busy job since many know better than to cause a ruckus here in Yoshiwara, but we do have our season rushes such as the massacre recently." He frowned, having his eyes widened a bit more to show his glassy pupils. "We do get dead children from time to time since Yoshiwara is a harsh place to live in, but never to this extent. It never should be to this extent. The only thing I can feel grateful for is that our Sasa-hime survived, but having been the only one to survive, I don't know how he would be able to live with it."

Miku braced herself to face that. She needed to be strong for her son. "I will be there for him. If I have to face the King of the Night in order to do so, I will." She declared with her eyes bringing forth a storm of determination.

The men in the room were even more reassured that this woman was in fact their Sasa-hime's mother. And so they led her to the cremation room, and then through a vaulted door which led to the machine that utilized the CO2 produced by the crematory to become usable energy. It was a small machine but the room was spacious and high.

Shakuyaku informed her, "Although the machine is small, if it were to go haywire, it could cause a big enough explosion to destroy Yoshiwara, so the room was built to be explosive proof. If it were to explode in this room, it will only cause a sudden earthquake." He pointed up at the ceiling where Miku spotted another vaulted door. "If an explosion did occur in this room, it would be safer to enter for inspection through there."

"But it's so high up, and there's no ladder."

"And that's why we fly." Koko and Ayame pulled down the upper part of their clothes to unleash their butterfly-like wings that was as big as their bodies.

Miku gasped, "Y-y-you're amantos?!"

Ayame answered with her thumb pointing at herself apathetically, "I'm half amanto from my mother's side who was an Amber Phantom Butterfly who fought in the Joui war, but got horny during the war, so slept with a random soldier on the battlefield before murdering him, gave birth to me, and ditched me with an old couple who died when I was kid. Koko here has two human parents, but they procreated in the middle of a freak accident in a lab which mutated him into a Madagascan Sunset Moth. Unlike me who was taken off the streets and sold here, Koko came here willingly since he wanted a prison of free food and sex."

Koko just smirked with his half-lidded amber eyes.

Since they got their backgrounds out smoothly, Bussouge joined in, "I fought in the Joui war in the Kiheitai along with its leader Takasugi Shinsuke. Shasha here fought beside the Runaway Kotarou. We were taken from the battlefield and sold here to fulfill the kinks of amanto and government officials."

"That's horrible!"

"Not really." Koko shrugged. "Soldiers in war rely in each other for a little TLC, and as sickening as it is to be humiliated in front of traitors, it's not the end of the world."

Shakuyaku spoke a little more empathetically, "What Koko here is saying is that even if Bubu and I are stripped of our swords and degraded, we do not lose face."

Bussouge nodded. "A samurai is more than the weapon he carries or the historical feats he accomplishes. A samurai is in itself a battle with oneself and a protector of others. My body may be degraded, but my mind, heart and soul is clean, and in keeping it so, the dirt on my body is washed away."

"Easier said than done." Shakuyaku realistically reasoned, "The only true way to make sure the dirt doesn't stain oneself and spread is true forging connections stronger than steel. Again, easier said than done, but with great determination and an open heart, Bubu and I were fortunate to have been sold to a brothel filled with kindness and courage."

Queen Ayame smiled, brightening her beauty ten-fold. "Because who else will do it? In folktales and the lot, the damsel in distress is always a woman, a child, or an elderly with knowledge needed for the quest the hero is on. But for young men who have been thrown helplessly in our role, we don't have heroes coming to our rescue."

Koko concluded, "Cuz no one will come running for a male courtesan's tears but us." He pulled Miku into his arms, "And perhaps mothers too."

He flew to the vaulted door, but Bussouge was able to reach there first after Shakuyaku threw him there. The samurai was able to catch the handle and turn it open just in time for Koko to give one last push of his wings upwards so that he could withdraw them as he exited through the hole, and the two landed down on top of a pipe. Ayame flew out the same way with Shakuyaku in her arms, and Bussouge swung out and closed the door before dropping down.

The five of them ran across the pipe and then tight roped their way to a balcony with Miku in Shakuyaku's arms until they reached there.

"How are we supposed to sneak through? There must be guards all throughout the palace after the recent event." Miku inquired.

"Leave it all to me." Koko replied as they got into the balcony. He sucked in a big breath of air, and then let out several pink balls of light floating in front of him. He blew them into the palace, and everything remained silent until he told them to follow him.

The five of them were able to sneak through all the hallways with ease until they finally reached the room. Miku was sure that there was no way that they could get through the guards without causing a ruckus, but then to her surprise, the guards didn't react when they were in front of them. They just stood there as they entered.

Koko explained, "The little balls I let out of my mouth kind of works like a psychic pollen. I choose my targets, and their minds go blank for as long as I need them to. I use it whenever we have rowdy or homophobic guests."

Everyone now stood before a futon small enough for a little boy who slept soundly in his bandages.

"SHINPACHI!" Miku ran and dropped to her knees beside him. "Shinpachi!" Her breath hitched. "I'm so sorry. I should have never left. I should've told that idiot off and taken you with me, but I was so scared. I didn't think I had the strength to protect you from the outside world. I didn't think that I could make sure that you weren't strayed off into the wrong path, and that you wouldn't come to hate me even more than if I were to leave you with your father. I'm so sorry." She sobbed, "I failed you as a mother."

"You didn't fail me." Shinpachi told her weakly with his eyes still closed. "I...told you to go."

"Shi-shinpachi?"

"Is talking in his sleep."

Miku felt goosebumps all over her body. She looked over her shoulder to see Housen looming over her. She looked over to the four courtesans to find them bowing lowly before him.

Housen spoke again, "Kousen is currently on medication that makes him talk in his sleep, so he has no idea that his own mother who abandoned him two years ago is here."

Miku felt her heart beat painfully at that fact being smacked at her verbally. Yet it ignited a soft yet durable rage inside her. "I...I didn't abandon him."

"Hm?"

"I didn't abandon him!" She projected her voice calmly. She got on her feet, facing Housen with a thunderous glare that peaked Housen's notice. "What I did was necessary for the both of us! It's just like when other mothers in the animal kingdom has to leave their young for the sake of their survival! I always intended to come back for him! I always intended to protect him because I am his mother! I don't care what you do to me, but nothing you say or do will force me to break us apart again!" She grabbed hold the hilt of her sword, ready to throw down.

All the male courtesans watched this with seriousness and amusement.

Miku then began to slowly unsheath her sword, ready for any blow. She knew that she was nothing compared to the King of the Night, but she could never forgive herself if she lost whatever right she had to be Shinpachi's mother.

"BWUHAHAHAHA!" Housen guffawed, surprising the woman. "You are definitely this child's mother. Never in my twenty years of rebuilding Yoshiwara into my vision had I ever had a parent come to their child's rescue. But you'll find me not surprised by your presence since I was in fact aware that you have been lurking here every now and then to hear about your son, and then using our services to further hide your identity."

Miku's face felt hot, but she continued to glare at the man, knowing that letting her guard down could truly be the end for her.

Housen widened his grin, "As much as I want to see how much pain you will endure for your son, you have nothing to worry about. There is no law here in Yoshiwara where a parent cannot visit their own child since the very idea was impossible. Then again, you weren't the one who sold him in the first place."

"I would never do such a thing. Shinpachi is my true happiness. I always hated being the wife of a samurai. I hated being that man's wife. Speaking highly of the samurai way yet doesn't realize that his own pride was harming the people that a samurai was supposed to protect. I knew that the longer I was with him, there was nothing but suffering ahead of us. Shinpachi knew it. My boy who should've been more concerned about nothing and instead looking forward to the next day to play with his friends was worried for me. I thought I had hid my pain, but sometimes its easy to forget children paying attention at home. He told me to leave. He told me to runaway. I told him that I couldn't do that to our family, but do you know what he said to me. 'Mother, we're not a family, if we're just making each other sad. I don't want you to cry anymore. It's okay to leave. I'll take care of ane-ue and father until you come back'." Her hand drooped away from her sword that slid back in. "It's stupid I know. To take advice from a child, but they were words that I thought over and over when I would see the stray animals run away from an oncoming disaster. If my husband was going to selfishly do as he pleased no matter what he had to sacrifice, then I should be allowed to do the same, but I made a promise to Shinpachi that I would come back for him. Nothing was going to stop me from ever coming back since a mother's love is the most powerful weapon there is."

Her lips wobbled as the fresh tears fell down. "I'll do anything to set my son free from here." She looked over to the four courtesans who gave her compassionate smiles. She found herself able to smile even if it was small. "I'll wait years to buy his freedom. I'll trade places with him. I'll die for him, if only you'll promise he'll be sent to a trustworthy orphanage or couple that will take care of him. I'll do anything so please," She got on her hands and knees and bowed lowly that her forehead ached by the pressure pushed onto the floor. "Please let my son be free."

"Four years."

Miku picked up her head to meet eye to eye with Housen. He repeated, "Four years. There is still the law for all potential Yoshiwara courtesans to be at the age of 13 or until they have their period to be sold. Since he is a boy, the moment the clock strikes the new year on the fourth year, you will be allowed to buy his freedom."

The mother felt the weight on her heart picked up that she breathed easier in relief. "Thank you! Thank you!" She got up and hugged the man. "Thank you so much for your kindness."

Ayame immediately cleared her throat loudly and kept her gaze on the floor, "If I may speak so boldly, Lord Housen."

Housen replied with amusement, "You may."

"Four years is quite the long time, and after being in the middle of such a blood bath, there is no guarantee that our dear Sasa-hime will survive. Especially with you-know-whom using him for their own plans to murder you."

Miku felt her heart drop and veins run cold at the sound of that.

Koko chimed in a little more brighter, "It happened since he wasn't with us, but then again, I don't think we could've stopped our Lord from doing this to him."

Miku stepped away from Housen. "YOU DID THIS TO HIM?!"

"He was the one who charged at me, demanding a battle, and a gave him a merciful one. If I had been serious, he would've been dead along with the others."

Bussouge told her, "Please be calm. Sasa-hime does look worse for wear, but he is not scarred or suffering from any serious injuries that would have required surgery."

"My son is bandanged from head to toe! He's only a boy!"

"Who have been abused far worse than now." Ayame reminded her, "It's been over a year since Sasa-hime has lived here, and had faced far worse hardships than a simple beat-up from our Lord. I understand your concern, but to treat Sasa-hime as a simple child is an insult."

Shakuyaku clarified, "What Queen Ayame is saying is that your son isn't the same son who you remember. He's a lot stronger and wiser than you expect that he can't be mothered like a little boy, but as a young man deserving to be treated with not only love but mutual respect."

Miku was horrified to hear that! She couldn't imagine her child already acting like an adult at such a young age! He was only nine-years-old! NINE-YEARS-OLD!

"And is he aware that he's part of this plot you're vaguely telling me?!" She shrieked!

Ayame snapped back at her, "Oh hush! There are highstakes happening in Yoshiwara every day that being in the middle of a murder plot is nothing to be surprised about! You have to already know that after eating so much pussy here! Stop being an idiot! Stop asking stupid questions! Stop twiddling your thumbs, and take action like your son would! He fought hard for his survival! Did everything in his power to not let Yoshiwara destroy who he was or stray him from his own path and he did that alone! What are YOU going to do so that he won't face his next challenge?!"

The room fell silent with all eyes on Miku.

"..."

._._._.

A/N: This was a challenge since I wasn't sure how to move the story since there were characters I wanted to introduce but couldn't decide on how to do it that felt natural especially with a group. There's 11 OCs in just 3 chapters and they're all important for my future chapters!

Anyway figured I'd give name explanations here:

*Peace Lily in Japanese is 笹団扇 「ささうちわ (sasauchiwa)」, so Bussouge is calling Shinpachi Peace Lily, whereas Koko likes to shorten and play with names, so he is technically calling Shinpachi Princess Bamboo Grass instead. The reason Shinpachi is a Peace Lily is because the plant thrives without much sunlight, and symbolizes rebirth, humility and devotion.

*Bussouge means Chinese Hibiscus which symbolizes fame, riches, glory and splendor which was something he sought as a samurai, but now those words are defined differently now that he's become a courtesan.

*Ume means Plum Blossom and Kiku means Chrysanthemum. Ume symbolizes transistories of life while Kiku symbolize long life, and they're commonly a duo of old men with a long history.

*Ayame means Iris and they symbolize royalty and wisdom. Though she is not an actual royal, she is one of the four head male courtesans who control the brothel and is the most outspoken one of the group when it comes to not letting things get overlooked or unnecessarily complicated. There is wisdom in keeping things transparent and simple.

*Shakuyaku means Chinese Peony which symbolizes multiple things that basically equal to having a really good life. He's really knowledgeable of everything around him with a kinder way of words, which puts an unneeded bad tension in the room at ease.

*Kochouran in Japanese means Moth Orchid, fitting into Koko's moth traits, and the fact that orchids symbolizes love, luxury, beauty and strength. All of which Koko possesses despite being a male courtesan trapped in a windowless brothel.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: This took longer because it was difficult to decide on how I wanted Shinpachi to wake up, and how to handle the situation after such a traumatizing event before hitting the next step of my chapter.

._._._.

Chapter 4

Shinpachi woke up feeling numb to the point that he thought his soul had been transferred into a stone, but when Bussouge came into view and changed his bandages, he saw that he was still in his own body. He knew what happened to him, and the guilt and pain from that night washed over his body and submerged his heart in remorse. It was a traumatizing memory, but he didn't turn away from it due to other problems arising from the event. He searched through his memories thoroughly, not knowing if he was falling asleep when he found himself waking up again.

Once the numbness in his body left, he was able to to sit up and inspect himself. He was completely free of bandages, and his body seemed to been completely spotless on the outside. But on the inside, he felt lethargic and starving. His mouth was so dry.

Bussouge entered the room with a bowl of water with a ladle inside. Shinpachi calmed down his excitement when the ladle came towards his lips. He resisted the urge to gulp it down and took gentle sips as he was instructed. The sweetness eased his stressed body, and his stomach warmed up in joy at the sight of Shakuyaku who entered with a bowl of soup. He cherished the meal before falling back into a long slumber.

When he woke up again, he still felt too weak to do anything on his adjustable medical bed, but his mouth had definitely recovered.

"Bubu-san." He called out to the former samurai who sat beside him at his left.

"Yes, Sasa-hime."

Shinpachi smiled at the familiar nickname given to him, yet it was immediately replaced with a serious frown, "Where is Nobuyuki-san? _**Our**_Nobuyuki-san?"

Bussouge sighed roughly, "He left with the others."

Shinpachi gulped down his despair quickly, and sighed out, "How long have I been healing?"

"Almost three weeks. You were put under a heavy anesthetic so that your bruises given by Lord Housen could heal smoothly. Shakuyaku and I have been making sure to gently move you and such so that you didn't wake up with different problems. It will still take awhile for your body to recover before we can start your physical therapy."

"Thank you Bubu-san." Shinpachi took another deep breath. "How did Lord Housen handle the matter of the massacre?"

"He had Master Jiraia spread rumors to muddle the story as all dark businesses within Yoshiwara is dealt with. The citizens all have conjured their own beliefs on how you survive, but one solid truth they choose to believe is that you have become a favorite of Lord Housen's as Lady Hinowa was. Perhaps even more favorable than she ever was."

"Just as they planned." Shinpachi let out a silent heavy sigh that drooped his shoulders. "As a courtesan it is with absolute certainty that the only way to truly survive in Yoshiwara is to learn to not only cope with pain but with trauma as well. Bubu-san, the teachings of the male brothel have truly been...a blessing, otherwise I probably wouldn't have handled the situation better."

Bussouge nodded in agreement. "Many children between our age range have faced deep psychological trauma from the effects of the Foreign Invasion and the Aftermath of the Joui War." He reached out and squeezed Shinpachi's hand. Shinpachi squeezed his hand back as hard as his heart clenched, knowing that it was barely a pinch for the scarred man.

He took another deep breath, letting the flashbacks of the massacre flood his vision. "That night, I discovered that they planned to have that courtesan kill Lady Hinowa first before killing Lord Housen's harem and the other children. When I first woke up that night, there was a familiar smell. An incense that our Nobuyuki-san burned for us in the brothel. It was such a strong fragrance that it soaked into our clothes even after washing it. After dealing with the courtesan, I walked pass the corpses, and I immediately noticed that that familiar smell was stronger within the girls' room that they all slept in together."

"So they planted the incense in their room, but to do what exactly?"

"When I observed the scene, I noticed that there were no blood trails or a sign of a struggle from the room to the hallway. The only thing that was moved was their blankets as if they were made to walk out of the room, or more likely carried out since they all had their eyes closed with no tears on their cheeks." Shinpachi suppressed the bile pushing up from the pit of his stomach. "In my heart, there was no doubt that Nobuyuki-san was involved in this massacre, but I didn't know why they would do this until I arrived at Lady Hinowa's room and found it open without force and the same incense was in her room. I quickly ran to Lord Housen, knowing that he slept in his office instead of his bedroom when he didn't acquaint himself with women."

"So if the courtesan had killed Lady Hinowa first before the others, then that meant that Lord Housen would've further kept you close to him, not only in distance." Bussouge surmised.

Shinpachi added, "Their mistake was that they didn't keep a closer eye on her. Before the night of the massacre, there was a cat fight among the courtesans, and the killer was in the middle of it. If not for that, Lady Hinowa would've been dead."

"So it was by fate that Lady Hinowa survived."

Shinpachi was glad for that yet still frowned, "Their plan didn't follow through as they hoped, but I reluctantly did not let it go in vain." The boy took a deep breath again. "Despite Lady Hinowa's life being in danger, Lord Housen's eyes were on me…His concern was directed at me. Do not make presumptions from my words because Lady Hinowa is still very much a valuable person to Lord Housen, but during that night...he was mine." Shinpachi let out another big silent sigh as he let himself relax onto his bed.

"So they succeeded their primary goal." The older courtesan paraphrased.

Shinpachi sadly nodded. "At least I believe so. It will all depend on the next time Lord Housen and I see each other." He said yet apprehension filled his heart at the thought of it. He continued to speak to find ease, "Bubu-san...I know that I shouldn't blame myself for the massacre just because I took the attention of a man away from them. I am only nine-years-old. I have no power to refuse Lord Housen's requests for me. But the reason I feel guilty is because I love him despite being the monster he is. I talk a big game of being someone who wants to protect others, and yet I love someone that needs to be protected from. Less than a samurai, as a mere human being, I am a hypocrite."

Bussouge gave out his own sigh, yet gave a sympathetic smile for the child who looked to him for answers. "Sasa-hime, during our time together in the male brothel, I have avoided talking about my past and my character as a samurai not due to being ashamed or afraid. I did not want to be impressionable to you as one because even a samurai is just a human being. Those who abuse the name of samurai is even lower than a human being, and you my little brother, is a fine person."

Shinpachi whimpered at those words. "How?"

"Better ask yourself why you love Lord Housen in the first place? Is it for materialistic reasons? The gifts that he gives you with knowledge that you wouldn't be able to find in Yoshiwara's library? Or is it for sentimental reasons? Is it because he gave you the affections that you craved?"

"A little bit of both." The boy answered truthfully. "But my reasons are not that shallow." The nine-year-old readily replied, "It is because he is my hope. I want to believe that disappointing men can become better, and Lord Housen, every night that I spent with him, my hope was discovered to be love. He created this bloody cage, and talks a big game, but he is not as brutal as others are led to believe."

"If the other prostitutes heard you say that, they would call you an apologist. If a regular citizen heard you say that, they would accuse you of Stockholm syndrome. But-" Bussouge rubbed the back of Shinpachi's hand with his palm, "We both know better, otherwise you wouldn't be here on this bed healing from that man's assault."

Shinpachi sadly smiled, "If he had used his full strength, or used insulting attacks on my body, I would have thought otherwise, but the pain and ache I feel is the truth. He's not a human being. He's a yato." He breathed in deeply, and smiled more genuinely. "I am hopeful."

._._._.

A few more days went by before Shinpachi was deemed capable of receiving physical therapy. He was surprised to be introduced to a woman dressed as a nurse but with a mask of a kappa. His ears perked when he heard her voice that sounded identical to his mother's but there could absolutely be no way that his mother could be here. He simply took this as a coincidence since there could only be so many voices in the world.

Her name was Anaguma (Badger), and she was a gift given to Lord Housen, but she was deemed hideous so was given the task of helping Shinpachi heal. Shinpachi was offended for her. "A man who slept with a cesspool of species have no right to call anyone hideous."

Shakuyaku chuckled at the joke, having Bussouge elbow him lightly to not ruin this one-sided reunion.

Miku smiled behind the mask, seeing her kind yet at times blunt son. It helped her feel relieved since she had been emotionally preparing herself for a broken child. "It doesn't matter. I feel more comfortable being here wearing this mask since I'm not used to such unfamiliar surroundings. It's good to stand out this way without giving too much away on a first impression."

"If you say so, Anaguma-san, then I am pleased to have a kind Kappa taking care of me. Having not walked for almost a month, my legs must be noodles by now."

"Do not worry, Sasa-hime. I will do everything I can to help you walk again as well as protect you."

"I am in your care."

And so, Miku put in everything she learned in only a month to help her son walk again. She studied and practiced fervently, having Shakuyaku care for her since she would forget to eat, sleep or even bathe. She also practiced Shinpachi's new names so that she wouldn't dare say the old name. Of course, she wanted Shinpachi to know that his mother had risked her life to save him, but after suffering such a traumatic event, and her learning what lurked in Yoshiwara that was coming for her son's life, and the promise that her and Lord Housen had made, she didn't want to complicate things for her son.

Thus for the following days and nights of just the two of them, Miku helped Shinpachi regain strength in his body before he can start relearning how to walk. In the mean time, the two talked about general things like favorite foods and colors to keep the conversation light so as to avoid any depression. Slowly did the conversations get more personal where Shinpachi talked about the male brothel in its entirety, Lady Hinowa and her amazing inspirational presence, and little details about Lord Housen here and there.

Miku could tell in her son's voice that he loved them deeply.

Over a month had passed, making it two months since the massacre had happened, and the chatter about it had significantly died down. However, it rose again after strange men and products flooded the city that caused the gates to close down.

Shinpachi looked out from where he sat at a balcony watching the fire-like glow of the city die down a bit as new construction took place.

"Anaguma-chan, what is happening down there?"

Miku entered the balcony with a cosmetics box and set it down beside them. She knelled down and took out a bejeweled comb from her sleeve. "Lord Housen is renovating and remodeling Yoshiwara to improve the living conditions of the courtesans and provide them with modern medicines and doctors." She was right behind him, but as she combed down his waist length hair, she felt his shoulders rise gradually by a slow intake of breath.

"He listened." He whispered but his words were heard. He gulped down with the tears falling as he said louder yet softened by his loss of breath, "He listened." He whimpered as he felt his freeing guilt and heavy love suffocate him. He forced himself to breathe, and looked up at the sky as if thanking the gods for this blessing.

Miku held her son as he panted in between tears strolling down his cheeks. He cried until he fainted from exhaustion. She tended to him by cooling his eyes with a wet towel and remained by his side in case he were to wake soon.

"Looks like he got the memo about the new infrastructure." Miku looked over to the balcony to see Kochouran lying against the rail nonchalantly beside Ayame who stood with a proud expression. She said, "It's all because of him. He knew that if he didn't fight for this, then the massacre would've been nothing more than a stepping stone for the wrong people. At least with this, there could be some leniency on the minds of the consorts here."

"It wouldn't have to come to this, if Housen wasn't the kind of man he was to begin with." The mother spoke spitefully as she stared down at her son.

Kochouran lazily put on a sly grin, "Do you expect a yato like him to know human emotions? I'm not justifying his behavior but you gotta admit it is excusable."

"That's a poor thing to say."

"Truth is cheap when you know where to look for it. Housen is a powerful perverted guy, but he's ignorant and shy. You've noticed this haven't you after reporting to him every few days or so on our Sasa-hime's condition. But you refuse to let your guard down because he did hurt your son after all."

Miku tightened her lips to frown deeply. "What kind of person hurts a child?!"

"A yato. Did you know that before their race became endangered it was by tradition that the eldest son had to kill their father to prove their strength? Lord Housen didn't kill his father, but at your son's age, he witnessed his older sibling do it, and that's normal to him."

"How do you know that?"

"Your son told us, and dear Lord Housen doesn't mind that we know since it wasn't a secret to begin with. In fact, your son is probably the only person in this whole city who knows Lord Housen better than any of us which is why he didn't coward down from fighting the yato. He knew he wouldn't kill him. The fight was a test."

"A test?"

Ayame answered after a heavy sigh at Miku's slowness. "To a yato, it is not strength that determines the outcome. It's guts. Your son's bravery and kind heart gained a yato's respect and attention, and since he is a future male consort, he was awarded. Although..." she looked out to the city. "With this big of a reward, it doesn't feel like a gift to a male consort. And you already knew that." She looked back to Miku who quickly looked away from her with a pitiful expression.

After that, the two said their goodbyes since they simply came to check on their Sasa-hime, and by their expressions, they also came to check on Miku as well. She blushed by their attentiveness. She felt her heart spiral in turmoil by their words. What they said made sense, but she didn't want to let go of the seesawing feelings between hate and indifference for the man because if she did, she didn't know how she should act. She looked down at Shinpachi who always gave her an idea of how to act, but she wasn't sure how that would go in her favor. She was after all, also scared of the man.

As she wondered this, her son finally woke up. She pushed those thoughts aside to help him up by holding onto her forearm, but as she did, she felt a revived strength in him. In her son's eyes, she saw clouds rolling in, preparing for a storm that he was to cast down.

"Shi...Sasa-hime." She called out to him.

Shinpachi turn his head slightly towards her in acknowledgment but he wasn't letting go of what was brewing in his mind. "Anaguma-chan." He spoke with firmness. "When are you reporting to Lord Housen again?"

Miku answered, "Ne-next week."

"Then I have time. I have been taking my time healing because I wasn't sure of what to do next, but now that I know that he listened, I know what I should do." He gently pulled his arm away from Miku and took his first three steps slowly, took a deep breath, and then persisted to walk awkwardly until he was able to once again have an elegant gait. He was already on his way to recovery so this was no big feat, but his next words were, "I want to no longer be a consort in training. I can't be if I truly want to make a difference, but do not worry Anaguma-chan. The graduation for a consort in training is not losing one's virginity. Sex is something learned through years of experience, and luckily those below the age of twenty are given leniency for their lack of customers. No, we graduate through showing exemplary skills in performance and hospitality."

Miku wanted to say something, but if her son does graduate soon, then she could buy him even earlier. But she doubted that since Housen would most likely deny it for that very reason. After all for Lord Housen, her son is….

"And so Anaguma-chan," Shinpachi bought back her attention, "The next time you see Lord Housen, please tell him that I am lively and healthy but I can't see him yet until I am ready to face him. I have so much to do. I know you want to know what that is, but until my heart is fully realized, I cannot speak a word of it."

Miku wanted to get the answer out of her son so she could truly help him or heed him from what he planned, but to him, Miku was nothing more than a servant. She wondered if revealing herself now would change his mind, but if it didn't, then it would only make things more complicated to the point that she might lose Shinpachi and the chance to buy him once he turned thirteen. She was the mother who abandoned him after all.

She couldn't do that, so she kept the mask on and bit her lips down, praying that her son knew what he was doing.


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5

Miku walked over to Housen's office where the man spent many nights at to report to him on Shinpachi's well-being. The man seemed indifferent at first which infuriated her, but the more she thought about his mannerisms and his words, she was reminded of her own father. Calm. Collected. But boisterous like any other man when drunk or proud. When she met with the man a few more times, she slowly began to see him in a new light, though kept her eyes focused on the darkness around him so as to not lose her guard or her morality.

Now this may be her last visit about her son's condition.

She wasn't sure of how to feel about that. Housen already told her that she could still remain by Shinpachi's side after he had healed, so what truly worried her was Shinpachi being surrounded by other people beyond her and the main male courtesans. She had worked hard in keeping Shinpachi from thinking about Yoshiwara in its entirety and focus on more simple and happier things. But now, things were to become more complicated and her son would have to once again be on edge while accomplishing whatever it was that he had planned.

When she finally arrived at the office, she informed Housen that he was walking well again, but needed practice to perfect it. She hesitated to tell him what Shinpachi told her, and instead decided to work against her son for the sake of his well-being. And so she modestly pleads, "Can you please move him back to the male brothel? It will be safer for him to be there since the amanto group is not there anymore."

"That will be up to him." Housen replied without pause. "His stay in the palace was only meant to make him familiar with the inner workings of my harem and to fear my strength. But I have neither a harem nor the ability to make your son fear me."

Miku thought she would receive a different answer that was more on the possessive side, but she taught herself by now that Housen wasn't as big as a megalomaniac as she initially thought before. "Sasauchiwa speaks as if he was to remain here in this palace, and I've tried to convince him that it would be better for his health and his safety to be in the male brothel instead."

"But?" Housen gave a knowing look that intimidated the mother.

Miku hesitated again, but knew better than to provoke unnecessary issues, "But he told me that he has so much to do, and doesn't bother to elaborate. Only that everything will make sense after he heals."

Housen spoke, amused, "So Kousen still has demands. Tell him that when he thinks he has the backbone to face me again, we shall meet. For now, give him this." The man pulled out a box from beneath his table.

"What is it?" She inquired, but already opened the box to find the answer herself. Her eyes lit up in awe at the folded dress that didn't look like a regular kimono. It had gorgeous bejeweled accessories on all sides of the box, and they were at the perfect size for a young child.

"Those are gifts from my older sister."

"Older sister?" Miku thought back to what Kochouran told her yesterday, but that was an older brother. She assumed that Housen must have two older siblings.

"She's a weaver and a smith from the Eastern galaxy who threatens to visit me if I don't call her monthly. I told her about your son, and she sent these for him months ago. I thought to give it to him once he had accomplished his courtesan training in the palace, but seeing that his tutor had forsaken him, and his future in Yoshiwara being uncertain in the time being, I will present these to him now."

Miku stared at the gift for a bit longer, allowing her finger to slide across the soft foreign fabric. "It's so lifelike. It's not alive is it?"

"Bwuahahahaha! Of course not! My sister simply has the skill set of a master. Where else do you think us yato afford our clothing? Except this one is of the highest quality that we don't bother to buy since it's impractical for combat."

Miku stared at the majestic clothing and felt the blood rush to her cheeks and the ecstasy beamed through her eyes. "I will deliver this to him immediately! I always wanted to dress my baby in girl clothing despite being a boy because it's superior in cuteness and beauty! A man dressing like a woman! A woman dressing like a man! Androgyny is the highest form of beauty!" She stomped her foot on the table with her fist up as if she just recited a glorious battle speech. "You have no idea of the absolute joy I have when I see women dressed in men's uniforms and men dressed in sexy nurse's uniforms! It's my grandest pleasure!"

Housen felt like he should sweat drop by this fetish confession but chose to remain silent since he had no idea how to handle this situation since it was coming from a woman.

"I will make him gorgeous! Queen Ayame! I'll need you!" Miku bursts out the doors scaring Jiraiya into attack mode but the woman was deft in acrobatics to get through the wires with ease. She had been taking fighting lessons from the male brothel after all.

Jiraiya and Housen looked at each other, and both silently agreed to not speak of this.

Housen spoke once the doors were closed, "Any news on those Black Sun bastards?"

Jiraiya replied, "No. I scoured all of Edo, and there's no sign that those shapeshifters had merged themselves among the population."

"So they left the planet with the help of that gunner to escape my wrath." Housen viciously smirked, "And they think that after a few months or years that I would forget all about it, which will be the perfect moment for them to once and for all exact their vengeance on me through that child."

"It appears so, Lord Housen."

"Pathetic. True that I favor Kousen more than I have anyone who has come before me, but favor isn't set in stone. Kousen is nothing more than a passing interest to me."

"Though it is interesting of how they would implement their plan through this child instead of simply Lady Hinowa who is still in your favor. In fact she was usable before she put herself in the position she is in."

Housen had also wondered about that, but he didn't bother to make assumptions. "Whatever their reason, their plans won't work. I won't allow them to kill what's mine so easily, but once its dead, there is nothing to mourn for."

Jiraiya wondered about that since Housen had just worked himself day and night to bring to life the demands of a mere child. Then again how he perceive this gift may be different for a yato.

So instead he inquired, "What are your demands, Lord Housen?"

"You will presume doing your usual duties. As for those Black Sun bastards, I'll contact the harusame."

"So you'll be having your division handle this matter?"

"There's no one else I can trust this matter to. It has also been awhile since I've heard from them. Let's see what the new captain have been up to." Housen chuckled.

._._._.

Shinpachi, on his feet behind a low table, watched Ayame's hand movements as he sung the notes that he had struggled to perfect daily. To his left, there were organized papers of calligraphy that stated different ancient poems, anecdotes and proverbs. To his right were paintings of flowers, scenes, gods, people and amantos. Both stacks reached up to his knees. On his head was a stack of books. Behind him were several embroidered handkerchiefs that displayed mythical creatures like dragons and the pheonix as well as normal animals such as the koi fish, turtles and cranes.

Ayame signaled for him to stop singing as the door to his room slid open to reveal Miku who looked ecstatic and it was no mystery by the box in her hand.

"I apologize for interrupting your beautiful singing, but I have a gift from Lord Housen!" She quickly walked over to them and placed the box in between the stacks of paper. Her and Ayame moved the papers aside, and then opened the box to reveal the clothing and accessories.

Shinpachi's eyes widened, "A hanfu."

"Hanfu?"

Shinpachi smiled at Miku and explained, "It's a type of clothing that the yato wore. To put it more broadly, before the yato lost their home planet, they were one developed nation filled with different fractions that was made of different clans, but their clans weren't family oriented as ours are. A more proper word would be something like different companies since its more job-oriented. One clan was made of historians, another of weavers, another of smiths and the most prominent one being made of warriors." The boy looked down at the hanfu. "Although this one could be worn during a fight, the warriors rather prefer the cheongsam since it was less flashy and easier to put on. Everyone else who wasn't a warrior wore this to distinct themselves from the warrior clan and to also show their own status through embroidery."

"How can their be non-warrior yato?" Miku inquired. "I thought they were driven by their blood lust for the battle field."

"It's true that the yato are one of the most powerful races in the universe, but that statement is nothing more than a saying. Those who believe it are simply those who have only sought the warrior lifestyle, and have dug themselves too deep into it that they become narrow-minded. Otherwise, Anaguma-chan, how could Lord Housen remain in Yoshiwara barely shedding any blood months at a time if that saying was true. Even now, he was known as a sex maniac, but has not touched a woman for weeks."

Miku felt a little ashamed for the stereotyping, but then again it was the impression she was given. "You seem to know so much about this species. Did Lord Housen tell you this?"

"Some of it he has, but for the rest, I read it from the books written by his older sister. She sent them to me, and Lord Housen couldn't deny her."

"Huh. He seems to care a lot for his older sister."

"She's his only family left. After she killed their father, she took Housen away from their mother."

"Killed her father? I thought the eldest son was supposed to do that."

"She used to be the eldest son, but now she is known as Lady Shifu."

"Shifu?" Miku arched an eyebrow at that behind her mask but her high pitched voice conveyed her expression.

"According to Lord Housen, names are genderless to his sister since all words are made up. What matters is how you convey it. Shifu can easily be feminine if you treat it as such."

"...And she sends you gifts?"

Shinpachi nodded, "Lord Housen said that she liked the impression that he gave her over one of their conversations, so she wanted me to learn about ancient Yato culture. It's been centuries since the yato have lost their planet, but knowledge of their past culture had been well preserved by the descendants of the non-warrior yato who survived the nuke of their planet. Sadly, despite there being a good amount who survived, a majority of their descendants have followed the warrior way instead. It's the equivalent of having a majority of the Earth's population who survived be the samurai. Bushido exist, but not all samurai follow through with it, making it all the more difficult to instill it into the next generation. Once they lose their way, it spirals down through the next generations into just violence."

Ayame made a snide remark, "It would truly be a burden if the last remaining surviving humans were a bunch of savage idiots."

Shinpachi held back a laugh from that. He focused his attention on the hanfu, which popped an idea in him. But first, "I should thank Lord Housen for giving me this gift, and hopefully he'll tell Lady Shifu how thankful I am to her as well. Queen Ayame, I will be heading over to the kitchen. Would you like to join me?"

There was a knock, and Shakuyaku's voice was heard, "I apologize for the interruption, but I am here to take my shift with helping Sasa-hime with her tutoring. I was here earlier, but I was caught up in listening to the interesting facts."

Shinpachi happily slid the door open to see the giant man on his knees waiting patiently. His small bright eyes and smile infectiously bringing the mood of the room up, "There is nothing to apologize for, Shasha-san. In fact, I could use your help in the kitchen." He then turned to Ayame. "Before I bid farewell until next time, there is actually a favor I need to ask of you, Queen Ayame, if that's okay?"

"Talk."

"With the gift provided for me by Lord Housen, I now know what I would like to do in order to gain an opportunity from Lord Housen."

"Speak no more. I will have the musicians in the male brothel prepare any type of orchestra you need for your performance."

Shinpachi brightened up while Miku frowned behind her mask since it appears she was the only one out of the loop of Shinpachi's plan. Jealousy boiled in her stomach.

"Thank you, Queen Ayame." Shinpachi gave a cute curtsy. "Anaguma-chan, I will be needing your help, too, in sending messages between me and the male brothel. I also hope that you don't mind helping me plan with Queen Ayame over how I should appear with this hanfu on before Lord Housen for my performance."

"Yes, Sasa-hime." She nodded, hoping her resentment wasn't in her tone.

"Thank you, Anaguma-chan. My first message is to Ume-sama and Kiku-sama. I will be needing them to help refine my skills. No offense to you, Queen Ayame. You have been a true help for recovering my courtesan skills, but for what I will be performing, I will need nostalgia to further that improvement."

Queen Ayame smirked at the clever excuse. "I taught you too well, but be cautious around those two. They won't be easily flattered by your words."

Shinpachi fake gasped, "I would never flatter our two most esteemed male courtesans. Pouting is more effective."

Ayame lightly smacked his behind with a folded fan hidden in her sleeve. "Leave."

The little boy giggled and then excused himself out of the room to head to the kitchen with Shakuyaku in tow.

Miku then took the gift and put it away securely in the room. Ayame waited for her, and the two walked out until they reached one of the brothels where they took the hidden underground route. Once alone, Miku spoke, "It looks like your words the other night rang true. There is a bridge of culture between us humans and those yatos, and Sasauchiwa is the only one who can cross it."

"You know Anaguma-chan, you can talk to him." Ayame purposely used her fake name to get her point across, "Just because he doesn't think you're his mother, doesn't mean he won't consider you as an important figure in his life. You have been closest to him these past few months compared to the rest of us."

"It's not that easy."

"You only think that because you want to take the easiest route." The courtesan gave her a shady side glance.

"I can't help it as his mother! How can I speak to him that won't cross lines that a mother can?"

"I wouldn't know since my mother abandoned me after birth. And honestly, I've been meaning to ask why pretend any longer?"

"I don't want to compli-"

"Complicate what? We're in Yoshiwara. A red light district for human trafficking and prostitution. Your son's life has been anything but easy."

"I don't wa-"

"Will it really be that big of a burden? I only let you dress like an idiot so that you can take a step back and see what kind of person your son is, but even now, you're treating him like he's helpless."

"He's nine!"

"Like I've heard you a hundred times over these last two months, and I'm tired of it. You grew some balls to ask Lord Housen if you can be your son's caretaker for the next four years. Now grow your second testicle, and stop making excuses for yourself. You want to reveal yourself to Sasa-hime, do it. Scared that he won't do as you say, be open to compromise. How do you expect to protect him if you're being half-assed about it."

Miku felt great shame that she stopped while Ayame kept walking ahead until she reached the ladder.

"Ayame!"

The purple haired half-amanto paused from climbing. She could hear Miku clench the the fabric of her kimono and her teeth clench. Her breath came out a bit ragged but her teeth clenched with determination.

She then yelled, "Please give Ume-sama and Kiku-sama the message! I have something important to do!"

"Go already!" Ayame ordered.

Miku smiled at her support and ran back to the exit. She quickly ran back to the palace to reach the kitchen where broke through the doors, and found herself dodging a kunai to the eye. She inwardly gasped when she saw stuck in the door that it truly was a kunai that nearly killed her. turned her head quickly to see Shakuyaku covered in kunais and blood as he grasped the neck of a hyakka and snapped it against the counter. The cracking noise echoing the kitchen.

She didn't have time to register it when another hyakka member charged at her from the side. Miku dodged the ko-naginata, and with expertise grabbed it and thrust it out of the warrior's hand and flipped it to stab her through the stomach. She pulled the weapon out to deflect the kunai thrown her way.

"SASA-HIMEEEE!" She called out as she jumped onto the kitchen counter and then leaped towards one of the hyakka members that she used as a shield against the kunai. She jammed herself against another warrior, and stabbed them both through their necks.

Shakuyaku was able to deal with the rest.

"Sasa-hime!" She called out in a panic.

"It's okay." Shakuyaku reassured her, and pulled apart the bent spoon used to lock up a cupboard. When he opened up it, Shinpachi was crouched down inside. "I was able to hide him in there before they appeared."

"Sasa-hime!"

"Anaguma-chan!" The two embraced each other. Miku could feel him shaking that she held him tighter to make it stop.

Shakuyaku arranged the dead bodies on the floor, and stripped them down to inspect their bodies. Miku inquired of what he was doing. He didn't reply until he was finished, "This is odd. None of them show signs of having been sent from Nobuyuki."

"Wait, so they aren't here to finish up the job?"

Shinpachi replied, "It's because of the massacre."

Shakuyaku knelled by him, "What do you mean by that, Sasa-hime? It's true that it is rumored that the massacre began because you distracted Housen from the harem, but that is not a justifiable reason for these hyakka members to come after you. They surely must have the sense to not blame a child."

The boy took deep breaths and then wiped his tears away. "You haven't been in this palace for a long time, Shasha-san. I knew that this would happen, but I didn't think that they would be so rash as to do it while you are near me."

Miku shuffled back and then held Shinpachi's shoulders to make sure he concentrated on her. "Sasa-hime, what are you talking about?"

Shinpachi sighed deeply that his shoulders drooped, "It's true that the harem is meant for Lord Housen's pleasure, but that's only lust. When it came to love, they sought each other. No doubt that this woman had a lover among the courtesans or hyakka members who were slain. It's just like you said, Shasha-san. It is rumored that I played a part in instigating the massacre. I can only imagine the far more vicious rumors said because Housen lost his whole harem, and yet he has done nothing to rebuild it, which keeps me somewhat as the only favored courtesan closest to him for months. No doubt resentment would grow, and the fact that I am a child does not matter in their eyes."

"That's insane." Miku tried to wrap her head around it but she couldn't. "That's insane! It's still not your fault!"

"The truth doesn't matter to them. They will come after me."

"Then why haven't you told me to report to Lord Housen?!"

"Because he would've had the entire hyakka slaughtered because an act against me is an act against Lord Housen. In winning his favor, do I gain a power in persuading the higher power, not control it. I can't have that blood on my hands, Anaguma-chan."

Miku shook her head, wishing that in doing so could undo this, but all it did was change the courses of her tears. "How...how can you still love and defend a man who is putting you through this?"

Shinpachi didn't hesitate to answer, "I don't expect someone who has not been loved conventionally to reflect it back. It's true that Lord Housen has a loving older sister, but she wrote to me that after what she had done to their parents, no matter how much she wanted to provide a pure love, the blood on her hands and the choices she made only twisted it." The boy stood up, and regained his composure. He walked over to the naked hyakka members and properly dressed them again with Shakuyaku's help.

Miku still couldn't understand. She couldn't understand how her son could still be so loving and kind despite his life being put at the brink of death.

"It's insane." She cried. "It's insane."

"It is." Shinpachi replied. He then hushed to make a silent prayer before he continued, "But to be in denial of the insanity is a form of weakness. And to let it overcome you is failure. The only choice we have is to assimilate and then act as the storm who will change the rules. Stand up, Anaguma-chan. I will have you report to Master Jiraiya that these hyakka members got into a violent brawl that turned into a murder scene, and that I was accidentally caught in it that Shasha-san killed the murderer."

"Are you sure about that story, Sasa-hime?" Shakuyaku inquired, "The hyakka may see through the lie, and then they will assume that you personally had these hyakka members murdered for whatever ridiculous reason that will pop up in their heads."

Shinpachi responded, "It will be better than watching them die for one's mistake. It will also put future assassinations at bay since the hyakka will take this as a warning that crossing me will be a death sentence, so they will be on edge and keep a closer eye on each other. If Lord Housen questions any of us of this situation, he will see through the lie, but remain composed and stubborn on this story. He is a brutal man, but he is not an unreasonable one."

The boy turned around to Miku who still didn't stand from where she knelled. He walked over to her and knelled down. He took her cold hands in his, and told her, "I almost forgot that you haven't seen this side of Yoshiwara since you've spent most of your time here with me in this palace, but such a sight is not rare in Yoshiwara. A majority who are killed are unruly customers in public, but the gossip of killed courtesans and hyakka members are not uncommon. Neither is when they kill each other for survival or vengeance."

Miku regained her full conscious from those words and Shinpachi saw it by the look in her eyes through the mask and the slow wave of her head.

The boy told her, "Anaguma-chan, I need you to be strong because for what I do plan, we will face worse hardships. I know that you do not want me to do so because I am a child, but I have to do what is necessary for as long as I am here in Yoshiwara."

"But what if you don't have to." Miku asked spontaneously that she even surprised herself, but she didn't regret the words. "Return to the male brothel where you can be protected, Shinpachi."

Shinpachi's eyes widened by his old name that sounded nostalgic yet estranged to him. His jaw dropped when Miku finally removed her mask to reveal her face.

"Mother..."

Miku nodded, wishing she could've revealed herself without a reddened puffy face. "Yes. Shinpachi. Yes. It's me. I pretended to be Anaguma-chan so that I could be near you without complicating things for you here since I cannot buy your freedom until you are 13-years-old."

Shinpachi held her face, making sure that she was real, and she was. He hugged her tightly, "I knew it! I knew you would come for me! I knew you would!"

Miku broke out the biggest smile that she hadn't had in years, and hugged her son back preciously with a gentle yet firm grip. "I did! I did! I did! Shinpachi. Oh Shinpachi!" She leaned back to cup her son's face. "I am so sorry I didn't come back sooner. Then you wouldn't have come here and suffer as much as you did."

"But we didn't know it would be like this, but would it have been any different? Knowing me, I might've rioted if they tried to take you and then they'd take me too for compensation for the trouble."

Miku sniffed. "Shinpachi, I know you think you have some grand fate to accomplish, but as your mom, I cannot let you. I can't let you continue putting yourself in danger. Please. Please disregard your plan, and wait for four years. Just for four years to be free from Yoshiwara. Please."

Shinpachi stared at his mother, and Miku could see the wheels turning. She feared her son's reply.

Once the wheels stopped, Shinpachi spoke, "Mother, I plan on becoming Lord Housen's advisor."

Miku blinked in confusion. "Advisor?"

Shinpachi nodded, "In becoming Lord Housen's advisor, am I able to give an ear to the grievances of the courtesans, and for the other problems that arise in Yoshiwara. In doing so will I be in Housen's presence a majority of the time while I will have you by me a hundred percent of the time. In that way, I will be certainly protected by the assassinations while doing what is best for Yoshiwara."

Miku let what her son told her process and then sunk it in. She reluctantly thought that that made a lot of sense and wasn't such a bad goal. She held her aching head, "Clever. You are such a clever boy." She sighed out her stress. "And by worse hardships, you meant that you will be at the forefront of bad news that that shitty yato hears."

"In truth all kings are terrible."

Miku narrowed her eyes at her son who shrugged away with an awkward smile. She sighed again, "I still hate everything about this. You're nine!"

"That's true, mother, but although there are courtesans who have lived here longer than I have, I know more than they do of what goes on throughout Yoshiwara due to being part of the male brothel and having been in the palace in the company of Lord Housen nightly before the massacre." Shinpachi shook off the fear from the event and remained focused. "Adults these days are so consumed in trying to keep things the same in changing times while children like me have to learn to adapt. If I don't establish change and order, then needless suffering will continue."

"There will always be suffering!" Miku snapped.

Shinpachi spontaneously snapped back, "And there can always be ways to fight that! I have spent a year here, trying to find my new identity and cause so that I didn't have to suffer! Because I was in the grace of the male brothel, I could! It may not seem like a worthy privilege to you, but it means everything to me!" Shinpachi paused to contain himself. "I'm sorry, mother." He bowed. "I'm sorry for my attitude and my volume, but I can't apologize for where my heart is. I am no longer Shimura Shinpachi. I am Sasauchiwa, male-courtesan-in-training in the male brothel, and I am also Haku Mei Kousen, favored child of Lord Housen who hopefully wishes to become an advisor for him. I know that everything you say is out of love and worry, but what I need is support and strength. You said to wait four years for you to buy me. I will wait then, but then you must also wait four years for me to be your son again."

Miku felt her heart drop at those words.

Shinpachi felt guilty when he saw her expression but there was no turning back. Yet he still tried to be softer, "Mother, I am sure they already informed you that I wouldn't be the son you hoped to come back to. That is partially true. I am no longer naive or weak, but I still love you and will carry a heavy burden in my heart for my words today."

Miku was tired of tears yet she always found herself unable to not shed them. The one thing she feared from revealing herself happened. Shinpachi disregarded her for the sake of his own ambitions, and she couldn't find the rights she had as a mother since she abandoned him first for what seemed like the right reasons.

Four years was a long time, and escape was impossible, so she shuffled back again and bowed down lowly that her forehead rubbed the ground. She took a deep shaky breath. "I...Akiyama Miku apologize for failing as a mother."

Shinpachi immediately cried out, "You didn't fail me, mother! If anything, you have been my biggest inspiration. Lady Hinowa gave me a goal to pursue, but you gave me the skills I needed to accomplish this! Not father, not hajime-nii, not anue-e! No one but YOU! I survived this long because you are my foundation." He took her hands again. "That is why I ask for your strength and support and why I felt more confident in confessing my plans! Because with you by my side mother, I am instilled with faith."

Miku felt her heart swell up by those words. She wasn't being left behind and she was grateful. Her son was hers.

"I love you." She sobbed. "I love you."

Shinpachi shed his own tears, echoing her words, "I love you. I love you."

The two embraced tightly that it was hard to breathe but neither wanted to loosen their grip.

Shakuyaku wiped away his own tears.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Ack! ∑(ΦдΦlll I forgot to label this as Kamushin! Though that's not the main plot to this story.

I would like to personally thank **Mikazuki Kira **for your supportive reviews, especially after the third one I had gotten (;￣ー￣川. I hope I can continue to entertain you with this story. I honestly have plot points, but getting to them is a bit troublesome due to feeling like I'm not being up to Gintama standards but I'm too stubborn in going for the writing style I want. Like I want the lead male courtesans to be a funny wreck, but for the story's route and their characterization, it's best to stray from that thinking. I know the correct answer for myself, but fighting wavering feelings isn't so easy.

Also thank you **Galaghiel**! I'm glad that you like my story and for all the compliments! And don't worry! I'm not discouraged at all! I blocked the asshole, and will erase any anonymous used reviews from him! I will try to continue the story as best as I can!

._._._.

Chapter 6

Abuto sighed out his exhaustion. He never planned on becoming a father. That role never suited him since he couldn't see himself as a role model for his kids. The only reason yato were still able to procreate and remain a pure breed is due to the female yato who would hunt down a yato man and take his seed. As someone who was raised only by a woman before being recruited by Housen, he honestly could say that he didn't miss out.

But now, that role of fatherhood was thrusted onto him by that damn old man. He was only 25, but he already aged twenty years. The doctor told him that it was due to the stress of handling a brat, but his own was over a thousand times worse due to the fact that he has to handle the blood-thirsty idiot in such a dangerous job while also acting as the diplomatic subordinate for him on top of keeping the other yato in line. His prescription was the bliss of death.

Abuto couldn't get mad that the doctor prescribed such an unorthodox medication for him since he would've told anyone else that. However, he tugged onto the reins of life since he knew that if he did die, the whole division will most likely be dissolved. That bastard old man Housen most likely knew that so set this up since Abuto would've denied the captain role despite being the best suited to take the place.

"Vice captain!" One of his subordinates called out to him. Abuto reminded himself that he was currently in the space ship heading towards a planet to replenish on supplies after their last battles. Kamui was currently asleep at the moment. "There is a message from our former captain Housen!"

"A message?"

"It states that he would like an audience with you and Captain Kamui at Yoshiwara, Japan on planet Earth!"

"Eh? An audience? What's this? After two years of abandoning us to a brat as our captain, his first words are demanding an audience. Tch. How troublesome."

"And who is this brat you are speaking about?" The eleven-year-old Kamui spoke from behind the man who flinched.

"Ah! Did I say something? I can't remember!" Abuto learned that it was best to play dumb but not too dumb to not get the boy in charge of their pay checks mad.

Kamui mercifully ignored his words, "So Boss Housen wants to see the two of us. How exciting. Do you think he's dying after being nothing more than a worthless pervert down there?"

"I don't know, but knowing him, he most likely has a personal mission for us that he doesn't want the harusame to be involved with." Abuto sighed loudly, "What are your orders, captain?"

"To Earth obviously. Going there beats the boring meetings after all."

Abuto didn't argue, but of course they needed to restock on supplies first, so they planned to head there after that. Housen didn't set a date or time to meet him anyway. They can make excuses if necessary.

._._._.

Housen hadn't done this much paperwork since he began creating his seventh division or when he took control of Yoshiwara. Even though he was powerful and reckless, paperwork was the only way to properly structure his reign so it doesn't loosen itself due to stupidity. He had to make sure he wasn't being scammed by any of the businesses or that any of the providers had proven to be unable to provide quality that kept Yoshiwara alive and extravagant in the darkness. He adjusted his glasses as he went over the next load of paperwork.

He felt eyes looking at him, so he looked up and saw Shinpachi dressed like a proper courtesan of his stature. The boy's eyes were filled with surprise. His baby-like face made the man smile. "Come over here, Kousen."

The boy flinched at the order, and looked hesitant, but he did come forward. He knelt on the zabuton pillow opposite of Housen. It had been three long months that Shinpachi was acutely aware of how estranged that they had become, yet the man seemed to think nothing of it. Though he wished he would start the conversation since Housen ordered for his presence a day after the hyakka brawl incident. The boy had absolutely no idea of what to say without sounding rude. Yet when Housen simply continued his paperwork with his glasses on, Shinpachi allowed himself to at least ask an obvious question, "You wear glasses?"

"These are just my reading glasses that help me concentrate on the wording. Think of it as magnifiers to see the flaws and loopholes in the paperwork." He smirked, "You must've thought I just loudly demanded and threatened for the updates in Yoshiwara, Kousen."

The boy defended himself, "I thought you'd let others do it for you. My mother doesn't like to talk about you very much, but she is grateful for the opportunity you gave her to buy me once I am thirteen."

Housen smirked at the news, "So she couldn't not voice her opinions."

Shinpachi smiled with him, "Not when it comes to the safety of her son, especially after my life was put in danger." He hit to the point, "Thank you for being merciful with the hyakka."

"It was a personal assassination involving the massacre. I would have had the whole hyakka slaughtered for their insolence to make a point, but just for this one time, I let it be. But mark my words, Kousen, that if it were to happen again, I will kill them." Shinpachi nodded in understanding. "And just so you know Kousen, if this had been anyone else, I would have been surprised. But having witnessed that night, I shouldn't be surprised that if you can forgive the killer herself, then you would cast forgiveness on them too."

"It's not forgiveness but responsibility." Shinpachi corrected, "Forgiveness requires having received remorse by those who did me wrong. Responsibility on the other hand is handling their mistakes."

Housen paused his paper work and removed his glasses to look Shinpachi straight in the eye with all seriousness. The child didn't dare emote, which made the man laugh whole heartedly. Shinpachi giggled under his breath.

Shinpachi pretended to angrily say, "Oi! Who are you laughing at! You're the one who taught me the difference! And here I was thinking I would be taken seriously, but you're still a vulgar old man!"

Housen laughed louder. Shinpachi waited for him to stop before telling him, "Lord Housen, I intended to make you snacks yesterday as a thank you for giving me the gift earlier than intended, but then I was interrupted. So I made them this morning. Shasha-san. Bubu-san." He called out to the door.

Shakuyaku slid it open, dressed properly in a kimono, and bought in a tray filled with different types of sweet treats. Bussouge came in with a tray containing all the necessary tools to make matcha tea. The two took put the paperwork aside and arranged everything accordingly on the table. They then bowed before heading out.

"Lord Housen." Shinpachi started, "I know that I am the guest in this meeting, but you have been working tirelessly these past two months. Let me make you feel at home."

Housen didn't disagree and watched the child make tea while tasting each snack one at a time, appreciating the hard work put into them. He felt his tense shoulders relax without the need of alcohol, his empty soul filled with warmth, and his sense of smell and taste intensify when he tasted the prepared tea with the proper etiquette to hold the cup.

"I must ask, have you truly been doing nothing but paperwork and meetings this whole time?"

"Ah. No society remains on its feet without legal documents, or else people will go nilly-willy with what they want. Jiraia and his warriors have done paperwork to become a part of my staff. Even a few were supposed to die due to trying to escape Yoshiwara, but because of a little girl's cry, they slipped into my soldiers."

"Oh, so they are not all killed? Then that courtesan's lover..."

"Was still killed along with her other lover." Housen dropped his hopes. "The woman used her other lover as bait so she could pass through the guards, and that led to Jiraia deciding on her death. You see, Kousen, I understand that you wish for Yoshiwara to become a peaceful sanctuary for women, where they can come to completely decide their own fates and be free of pain and suffering, but that will never be the case. Yoshiwara had and will always be a red light district even if they are freed. If I were gone, men will flood this place and claim it as their own. And a majority of these women here were given willingly by their parents. They have no home to return to, and in a world dominated by men, they don't have that many options to begin with. They will most likely go back to their prostituting ways."

Shinpachi did not deny this, but he still made a point, "What matters is that it was their choice, and just because this city is what it is, it doesn't mean it can't be done differently. But that won't happen under your rule, so with great faith, maybe a hero will come and save Lady Hinowa. And she will lead these women after you are taken down. Maybe the child that Lady Hinowa saved will do just that since I lost my chance after coming to love you as family." The boy confessed, keeping his head down. "You can go ahead and laugh or be disappointed in me. But I mean it when I said I see a good side of you that night. Thank you for upgrading the facilities and the products. A lot of the women and men in Yoshiwara are happy about it, though they assume that you have ulterior motives such as to prevent another massacre or the birth of your own child."

Housen softly laughed at the tamed rumors. "It was your reward for landing a hit on me."

"A hit on you?" Shinpachi could only remember being slapped like nothing.

Housen kept it a secret, "And I have another offer for you, Kousen. It was pathetic to fight you the way you were, so I took it upon myself to become your fighting instructor."

"Eh? Eeeeeeeh?! Fi-fighting instructor?! Se-seriously?! But I don't think I could ever become a strong fighter like a yato! I mean I want to become strong, but if you train me, I might become too muscular for my future customers." Shinpachi imagined becoming similar to Joseph Joestar's poor drag costume.

"With your body shape, you'll never grow muscles like mine." Housen pointed out, making Shinpachi kinda relieved and a little disappointed. He wouldn't mind being a bit muscular like adult Gohan. "You're most likely going to end up like Edward Elric."

"I'm going to end up short with a metal arm, too?!"

Housen burst out laughing, reassuring the embarrassed boy that that wasn't going to happen...yet, if he wasn't careful. Shinpachi paled and wondered if he should take the offer. It did sound tempting to see what he could learn, but then he already had another goal in mind. "Well...uhm...thank you for the offer, I would love to become your student and become a great warrior someday, but my main concern is for the structure of Yoshiwara. You have definitely improved its infrastructure and the life of its residents, and though there may never be freedom, there will always be conflict that can be negated if acted upon. Before becoming a warrior, I want to act as an advisor." Shinpachi blushed from acting so bold without fists raised.

The King straightened up with brows furrowed downward. He stared at this nine-year-old, yet he relaxed since the boy was after all the most hard-working trainees that could become more than just one of Yoshiwara's courtesan scholar. He decided, "That's quite a bold request of you, Kousen." Shinpachi gulped. "You should know that the mighty Housen will never accept such a tedious request without a battle."

Shinpachi paled again into a ghost, thinking that he's being asked to fight again. He didn't want to heal for months on end again!

But then a board game of Go was placed on the table after the plates and tea set was placed to the side. "An advisor is more about brains than brawns, so show me exactly how smart you are by defeating the mighty King of the Night on this battlefield." Shinpachi felt his color return to him.

"Yes," He centered himself. "That is true, but before I fight for this position, I want to graduate into a full fledged courtesan first. I think that by taking that step first do I feel like I have truly earned my future positions."

Housen found that odd, and inquired, "You do remember that a courtesan does not graduate until they reach the age of thirteen."

"I do. I have read into that rule myself, and it specifically states that a courtesan-trainee cannot lose their virginity until they are at the age of thirteen and approved for graduation. It did not state that I cannot graduate at a younger age. Only that my virginity must be preserved until I am thirteen-year-old graduate. Also, you also placed a rule of leniency for those between the age of thirteen to sixteen that they will not be killed by the hyakka for failing to losing their virginity. We are mainly expected to finally learn how to socialize in the real world with an older sister or brother in tow so that we will not be taken advantage of. If an older sister or brother lets this happen, then they are punished by death."

Housen remembered that he wrote that rule flippantly since he never thought a child would ever demand to become a graduate four years early. In truth, he would've written the rule that a courtesan didn't graduate until they were seventeen. However, there were courtesan trainees who would lose their virginity even earlier due to having matured faster than others, so he decreased the age for that purpose while leaving leeway for others who weren't ready.

He then focused on Shinpachi who looked confident in his proposal. The child truly could be precocious and that made him endlessly amusing. To have him as his advisor will definitely brighten up several of the meetings he would have.

"Alright. I accept your proposal, but for what you are planning, Kousen, you must truly amaze me! I will expect it by next week! But you will not only be performing for me, but for the current captain of my division and his vice captain!"

Shinpachi's eyes widened at the big reveal. "Ca-captain?! And vice captain?!"

"What's wrong? As my future advisor, those two, though you may not meet them often, will be the most important guests you will ever come across in Yoshiwara since they will connect you to the harusame. Though I have worked for them for decades, when the time comes when they decide to rid of me, you, Kousen, must plan ahead for your own self-preservation."

"Self-preservation..." Shinpachi felt his veins run cold at the idea that this might all end, and for Yoshiwara to become even worse. Yet that didn't seem to be happening soon since it was Housen who requested to see his former subordinates. It will also be good for him to know them as soon as possible. So he nodded, "I understand." He faced Housen with determined eyes. "After I graduate, I will do my best as your advisor! Thank you very much!"

Housen burst out laughing once again, making Shinpachi yell at him again!

._._._.

The seventh division was able to arrive earlier than expected since it had been strangely smooth sailing towards Earth. It may be due to whatever was happening in the Eastern and Southern galaxy, which would call many pirates, space officials and the alike. They would love to take a part in it, but they were called by their former boss and Earth was a pretty nice planet to stock up on more supplies.

Kamui and Abuto arrived at Yoshiwara through a spacecraft that they landed above Yoshiwara's steel roof, and snuck in through a secret entrance from above. The two landed on a pipe, and took in the view of the city. The child blinked at the construction work being done at some places.

"It's not yet done being built?"

Abuto who had been here before replied, "Ah looks like they're doing some reconstruction. Being such a closed off city, it would be troublesome if a fire or earthquake took place.""

The two didn't waste time, and simply headed into the palace through the front gates. The hyakka guarding it were expecting them so stepped aside and let them through.

"Welcome!" They were greeted by a plethora of amazing beauties from the floor to the top of the stairs.

"Nope." Kamui leaped away by hopping to the top of the gates and then to the roof. He didn't know his way around, but it shouldn't be hard to find Housen.

As for Abuto, he was swarmed by the women that he was overwhelmed, but luckily the hyakka members arrived and backed them up. One of them explained to Abuto that Yoshiwara was currently closed for customers due to the reconstruction, and that the reason the courtesans had piled up in here is for the chance of becoming a part of Housen's new harem despite what had happened a few months ago.

Abuto arched an eyebrow to this, and he was given the tale about a boy who provoked a massacre.

As for Kamui, he was walking along the empty halls until he heard noises. Particularly a child's giggling.

"Ume-sama, you know that Kiku-sama didn't mean anything bad by your form of dancing."

"Oh didn't I?"

"Hmph! Just so you know, I've stolen countless of customers with my dancing performances alone! You're singing on the other hand has reached its expiration date!"

"Why you! Unlike your old creaky voice, mine still sounds youthful! I only rasp every once in a while for the sake of the flair!"

"Kiku-sama, I think your fake heart attacks already give enough flair."

Kamui stopped when they came into view from the end of the hallway as they were passing. It was a wide hallway and they were walking slowly, so Kamui could take in the view of the little girl walking behind the two old people.

The yato recognized that the girl was wearing a ruqun, which he knew through meeting Housen's older sister once that it was an ancient non-warrior yato clothing otherwise known as hanfu. Without a doubt, the white blouse and blue-gray wrap skirt embroidered with flowers at the hems and belt was made by that woman. He also caught a glimps of the white embroidered silk shoes beneath her flowy skirt.

Once he came to that conclusion, he looked directly at the girl who had long silky black hair. The top half was done in an intricate bun that was adorned with small flowers while the bottom half of her hair was left to fall freely. Her earlobes were pierced by silver held jade.

Yet what completely solidified his interest was when the girl looked his way and took notice of his appearance with shock. Kamui has met many gorgeous women and some cute kids too. But despite having met yato females around his age, he was never approached by someone this cute.

Nothing about her uniquely stood out from her on the surface, but the way she held his gaze as she elegantly sauntered his way with that pretty smile froze him in his place.

Once they were properly face to face, she gave him a curtsy. "Welcome to Yoshiwara, Captain Kamui." He was taken back by the sweet maturity in her young voice. Usually people their age would sound unsure, bored or hyper if they were made to do a proper greeting.

"You know me?"

Shinpachi nodded, "Lord Housen told me that the captain of his seventh division was a young boy with vermillion hair and blue eyes. I can also tell by how your dress and the umbrella that you hold that you are a yato. Am I correct?"

"Yeah..."

Shinpachi glowed up at the answer, otherwise it would've been embarrassing. "Is there any chance that you may have gotten lost? I can escort you to Lord Housen if you like."

"I'd like that." The words just poured out of him since he was still in a confused trance.

Shinpachi didn't think much of this since a child in Yoshiwara isn't a place to easily be accustomed to. He turned around and the two walked along. Ume and Kiku were waiting for the two, and the four of them walked together in silence.

Kamui would pass several quick glances at the girl beside him who kept her focus forward. The silence soon began to bug him but he didn't know how to properly talk to other kids like this. He only met hyperactive nut cases like himself and bothersome shy ones too. This girl here was mature without looking like a dead fish and…

Shinpachi turned his gaze towards him and smiled reassuringly that this wouldn't take long.

CUTE.

"Why are you here?" The question shot out of his mouth.

Shinpachi was surprised by the answer, but it was one that many naive guests may ask to break the ice. "My father sold me to some loansharks to pay off loans for his failing dojo. They bought me here, and I proved to be worth a good penny for the trouble."

"Why would it be a trouble?" With someone this cute, how can the transaction not go well.

Shinpachi answered without thinking how he looks, "Boys are not normally sold here, but since I adapted quickly and proved to be diligent and well-mannered, I proved my worth."

"Boys..." Kamui couldn't connect the dots.

Shinpachi helped him, "Yes, I'm a boy."

Kamui was already fair skinned, but this revelation made him turn ghost white. Kiku and Ume clamped down their mouths and strained their eyes to the ceiling to prevent themselves from laughing.

Shinpachi furrowed his brows, "Isn't it obvious." He looked down at his getup. "I may dress like this, but I thought my voice gave it away."

Ume helped, "Ah, this boy has spent a lot of time with men a million times gruffer than you. More feminine men like us are a rarity after all, Sasa-hime."

"Oh, uhm," He blushed but didn't understand why he was, but he bothered to tell the astounded yato, "I'm sorry to have disappointed you."

Kamui broke out of his own universe brain swirl and landed back down hard in reality. He tried to hold his usual smile that showed his composure but the corners of his lips twitched with his eyes. "It-It's no- WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!" He couldn't do it. "How is that possible! Are all earthling boys like this?!"

"Nope!" Kiku answered.

Ume amusingly said, "Ohohoho! Sasa-hime didn't you once tell us that when you were six or five, your sister dressed you in girl clothing for temple school, and all your male classmates were smitten with you." It was actually Miku who told the story. "It caused quite the stir up when they realized it was their male classmate!"

"Ume-sama, that memory doesn't need to be recollected." Shinpachi deadpanned.

He then faced Kamui who was having an existential crisis. All of the men and boys he's met in his life looked hella ugly. Even his own father is ugly! So for a boy to be this cute was a shock to his system. He flinched when that cute boy called him, "Captain Kamui." He didn't want to look at Shinpachi, but he didn't want to be weak. He forced himself to look the boy's way with his usual smile.

"Hm?"

Shinpachi was glad that he seemed to have recovered. "Would you still like to be escorted to Lord Housen, or would you rather prefer to rest in one of our guest rooms? You have come quite a long way to come here after all. If you are famished as well, I could have the meals already prepared be bought to your room. I could also draw you a bath while you wait for the meals to be served." He gave his best customer service smile, "Do any of those sound good to you, Captain Kamui?"

Kamui was just going for a simple nod but somehow he used way to much force that he planted his face to the ground like an ostrich.

Shinpachi screamed. "CAPTAIN KAMUIIIIIIIIII!"

Ume and Kiku laughed, making Shinpachi even more upset as he tried to drag Kamui to a suitable guest room. Kamui was conscious, but was too embarrassed to say he was. He also froze up when Shinpachi hugged him tight. It was to help move him, but he had been so touched starved that he felt so overwhelmed.

When Shinpachi began to cry for real, Kiku took it upon himself to log the child over his head and walked as if it was normal to have a dead-looking child as a hat.

And so while they were looking for a proper room for the poor child, Abuto was having a hard time getting through with the hyakka because the courtesans refused to let him through. Tsukuyo and Jiraiya could do something about it, but Jirayia was too amused watching a powerful amanto be unable to control the easy situation.

Lord Jiraiya on the other hand was wondering what all that ruckus was about, but ignored it when Miku with Shakuyaku and Bussouge came into the room with his meals. Ayame and Kochouran were already present with their instruments that helped drown out the ruckus.


End file.
